


A Gilded Cage

by Sunraze258



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Accidental Bonding, Alpha Edelgard von Hresvelg, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Breeding Kink Undertones, Canon Divergence, Collars, Dark, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Dom Edelgard von Hresvelg, Dom/sub, Dry Humping, Dubious Consent, Dystopia, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Female My Unit | Byleth, Femdom, Femslash, Futanari, Knotting, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Nesting, Omega My Unit | Byleth, Possessive Behavior, Pre-Time Skip, Rutting, Slight Age Difference, Soul Bond, Submissive Byleth, Violence, Weird Biology, former teacher/student relationship, heavy dom/sub, minor character OCs - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:15:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 33,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27604771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunraze258/pseuds/Sunraze258
Summary: After spending her life pretending to be a beta, Byleth went into heat unexpectedly during the imperial invasion, sealing the fate she had tried so hard to avoid. Now she must learn to survive as an omega for the very first time. Not just as any omega either, but as the Emperor's mate.Omegaverse femslash. Alpha Edelgard x Omega F!Byleth.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 113
Kudos: 513





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my "this is omegaverse, know what you're getting into" warning. It will have heat cycles, permanent mating bonds, a hard dom/sub dynamic between alphas and omegas, a lot of angst, and a lot of instinct-made-them-do-it. I've added an archive warning and a dubcon tag just to be sure. More tags could be added later as they become relevant.
> 
> This won't be completely canon compliant. It takes place after the Holy Tomb fight, but then goes in it's own direction from there. The background story will not 100% follow the game's.
> 
> What you see in the summary and tags is what you'll get. You've been warned.
> 
> But if that's your cup of tea, then welcome aboard~

"Here we are."

Byleth stood in the doorway, watching in silence as Hubert entered the most beautiful bedroom she had ever seen. A large red canopy bed stood against the wall beside the balcony. There was a fireplace across from it with two red chairs on each side. The decor matched the red and gold walls perfectly. It made her quarters inside the monastery look humble in comparison.

"These are your bedchambers, Prof...ah, Byleth," Hubert gestured for her to follow.

Her only response was a blank, level stare. It used to intimidate most people. Not Hubert or Edelgard, though. 

It wouldn't intimidate anyone now.

The butler let out a quiet sigh, letting his hand fall back to his side. Then he approached the wardrobe in the left-hand corner of the room and opened it. 

Byleth took a few hesitant steps onto the soft carpet. She had never felt more out of place in her life. She wondered what kind of omega had stayed in this room before her. Were they taken here against their will, like she was? Or were they your typical docile, noble-born omega who had not only accepted their fate from the start, but actually wanted this for themselves?

After a few moments of shuffling around, Hubert pulled out a flowing white dress with red designs around the trim and handed it to her. Then he pulled out another garment, a loose, knee-length red overcoat.

"This will be your attire from now on," he said. "Since the frost has arrived early this year, we have already provided you with your set of winter robes. All omegas who reside in the palace must wear this attire whenever they are in the presence of others."

Byleth reached out and took them. They were heavier than they looked. In spite of what they meant for her, she had to admit that they were beautiful, too.

"Oh. That's right."

Hubert pulled something out of his coat pocket and placed it on top of her new clothes. Byleth's eyes narrowed as she took in the strip of black cloth.

"This shall be your collar," he continued. "Of course, you must wear this at all times, as well."

"Why?" Byleth's voice came out sharper than she meant it to. "I already have a bond. I see no need for this anymore."

Hubert's jaw tightened. "Because you are not a peasant anymore. Bonded or not, it's not decent for omegas to go out bare-necked, nor is it safe. Your scent can still affect other alphas even now. This collar will suppress that scent for the most part. You will wear it whenever you set foot outside this room from now on. Do I make myself clear?"

"You're not my mate. You have no right to tell me what to do," Byleth snapped.

"If you would rather hear Her Majesty say the same, then by all means, take the matter up with her tomorrow. I'm sure she will wish to see how you are doing after our long trip." He closed the wardrobe doors. "With that said, however... I have every right. Lady Edelgard has assigned me as your secondary caregiver, and I am going to uphold my duties."

Sweeping past her, he paused at the door and turned around. His cold demeanor softened. Hers did not.

"I am trying to help you, Professor."

"Oh, really..."

"Yes. I understand that you have recently been through a traumatic ordeal. And I also understand that you have been suppressing this part of yourself for several years now. You aren't used to your new life yet. But these rules are for your own protection. The Imperial Palace is not without it's own dangers, for an Emperor's omega especially. Please listen to my guidance. It's the very least I can do in exchange for everything you taught me last year."

Byleth glared at him. Her emotions were a whirlwind of rage and betrayal.

In a way, they weren't just professor and student. The three of them had become friends. She remembered when Edelgard had lowered her guard around her enough to tell her more about the recurring nightmares she suffered from. She had been there for Byleth when her father died, as well. Ironic in retrospect.

At the time, it made her seem less like just another unapproachable alpha noble. More human.

She never imagined things would turn out like this.

Byleth turned her back to Hubert and placed the dress and overcoat on the bed. "I don't need your help."

Hubert stifled another sigh before shutting the door behind him with a soft click. She stood there motionlessly, holding her breath until she could no longer hear his footsteps.

She touched the side of her neck. She winced as her fingers grazed the indention of teeth underneath the shirt material. She made a point to avoid looking at the mirror beside the wardrobe.

Moving the clothes aside, she collapsed on top of the canopy bed with an exhausted groan. It was incredibly soft and comfortable. 

She froze. It also smelled like _her._

She wanted to jump to her feet that very instant.

Instead, she buried her face even further into the pillows, deeply inhaling as much of the scent as possible. It had an immediate effect on her. The anger and nerves melted away within seconds.

She wondered what Jeralt would think, seeing her act so pitifully. 

He would probably give her a hard, emotionless glare, cross his arms, and say that it was inevitable before turning away in disgust.

She remembered well enough how he reacted when her first heat came about five years ago. By the grace of Sothis, it happened inside a kind villager's house who had let them stay overnight as thanks for clearing out the local bandits. This put her a good distance away from the other mercenaries who might have otherwise caught her scent and realized what was really happening. 

He was absolutely shocked. No wonder. The birth rate for omegas was already low among alpha and omega couples. It was nearly unheard of for one to be born to betas. She didn't know he was her father yet at the time, but his reaction probably should have been a hint.

Then came the look of disappointment on his face.

It was quietly agreed on that she would keep her secondary sex a secret. If she wanted to keep traveling with him as a mercenary, she had no choice. He would sometimes buy her heat suppressing herbs from back alley dealers when the opportunity arose, and he continued training her and letting her fight. But as far as everyone else was concerned, she was just another ordinary beta who blended into the background, doing odd medial work where she could find it while trying to find her place in the world. A part of her had even started to believe it herself.

All for nothing. Byleth, the Ashen Demon, was now just like any other omega under some alpha's thumb.

And out of all the alphas it could have possibly been, it ended up being Edelgard.

With another groan, she shifted to pull the covers over her. Her entire body still ached. She had nearly forgotten how exhausting heats could be, even days after the fact.

Of course, Hubert was right.

There was no escaping what she was. She _could_ try to climb out through the balcony. She _could_ evade the imperial army briefly. She _could_ live in hiding for the rest of her life, going into town once every few months to hunt down suppressant dealers and hope for the best.

She could go back to that life. That was technically true.

But at the end of the day, she was still an omega. Her heat cycle would still come, and the herbs would only remain effective for so long after so many repeated doses. They had already failed her once. What about next time? Or the time after that?

Byleth shut her eyes tightly. She didn't want to think about it anymore. She wanted to forget everything that happened after the Holy Tomb, if only for a little while. The dull throb in her neck wouldn't let her, of course. But it didn't stop her from trying.

Maybe it would all turn out to be a dream. 

Wasn't this what omegas dreamed of?

* * *

_"By order of the Adrestian Emperor, Edelgard van Hresvelg, I order you to collect the Crest Stones. If anyone attempts to stop us, kill them."_

_"As you command, Your Majesty," Commander Metodey grinned before barking more orders to the imperial soldiers behind him. Byleth watched in stunned silence with the remaining students as the formidable army stormed the tomb, making their way towards the ancient artifacts scattered around it._

_"I see... I'm disappointed in you, Edelgard," Rhea's emerald eyes narrowed. "To think that a descendant of your House would dare disobey the holy church..."_

_Byleth's gaze fell on the unmasked Flame Emperor, her best student, and one-time friend. She had finally discovered who was responsible for her father's death. It didn't bring her the peace she thought it would. If anything, it added to the nausea growing in the pit of her stomach. The herbs in her system only seemed to make things worse. It became increasingly difficult to stand straight._

_Perhaps she should have listened to Rhea, after all. The archbishop had tried convincing her to put off the trip after they met in her chambers that morning. It was Byleth who had insisted on going. She was perfectly fine. She had taken the herbs. Her coat securely covered her neck and scent glands. Nothing should have gone wrong._

_Why did it have to now, of all times?_

_Why did the Flame Emperor have to be Edelgard?_

_"My teacher..." Edelgard's expression faltered slightly as she took in Byleth's weakening state. "I'm sorry. I cut this path, and now I must follow it to the end. I will only ask you to stand aside once."_

_Byleth took a shaky step back in response, her eyes full of pain and betrayal. Her hand inched to her sword hilt._

_Rhea placed a hand on her shoulder. Her pupils almost seemed to glow in the tomb's dim lighting. They seemed smaller, almost catlike._

_It must have been her imagination._ _It was so hard to think clearly right now..._

_"That's enough. I will not allow you to trample this holy resting place any longer!" Rhea's voice rang out sharp and cold. "Professor, kill her at once. She has proven herself to be a danger to all of Fodlan!"_

_"So you are mad, after all," Edelgard frowned. "Is it not obvious that she's ill? Fight me yourself, Immaculate One."_

_"You... What did you just call me?" Rhea paused, studying Edeldard. "Hmm. You were always an interesting child. Very well," Rhea's grip on her shoulder tightened, eliciting a low growl from Edelgard as she shoved her to the side. "Then I will grant you the privilege of disposing of you myself! Byleth, stand asi..."_

_Then their voices became a faded blur as a wave of dizziness came over her. It took all of her remaining strength to pull out her sword._

_It fell to the floor with a loud clatter as she collapsed beside it._

_She was dimly aware of stunned gasps and shouting all around her as she began to shiver violently. Sweat began to pour down her forehead. A mixture of sharp, arresting scents filled her nostrils, completely clouding the rest of her senses._

_"Professor!"_

_Dimitri grabbed her shoulder and started pulling her behind Rhea and the rest of the class._

_Silver flashed in front of them. Dimitri gasped in pain and recoiled._

_"Keep your hands to yourself!" Metodey shouted. His voice was more strained than before. "I-if any of you move a muscle before we're finished here, your lives will be forfeit!"_

_Dimitri drew his sword. His arm was bleeding. "No. You will steal nothing else, and none of you will lay a finger on the professor. We... I will not allow it!"_

_"Is that so?" Metodey cried._

_Byleth was shoved aside by an unseen force as their swords met. Sounds of battle erupted all around her. The Sword of the Creator was tossed away somewhere out of arm's reach. An inhuman roar echoed across the tomb._

_Dim panic flickered across her mind. Did the imperials bring wyverns with them? Or worse, demonic beasts?_

_With as much strength as she could muster, Byleth scrambled backwards from the sea of armor in an effort to get out of harm's way. A white blur rushed past the corners of her vision. She raised her head, trying to make out what the towering beast was. She had never seen anything like it before.  
_

_A loud, metallic clash to the ground far too close for comfort distracted her. An imperial soldier now laid motionless in front of her. She remembered his face. He was one of the guards stationed at the Imperial Palace's front doors when she attended Edelgard's coronation._ _She gasped and stumbled away._

_She made it a few more paces from the throne before powerful fingers grasped her ankle. She slammed face-first to the floor with a pained moan._

_"I knew you'd wait for me."_

_Byleth slowly shifted around and looked up. Metodey was hovering over her with a clouded expression on his face. She let out a tiny whimper as he moved to pin her down before she could react._

_"I knew you were the one for me... Yes, the second I saw you back at the palace... Don't worry, I was never going to let that blond brat take you away from me... I'm just going to get you out of here, and then... then, we'll finally be able to be together..."_

_"Ah...no..." she choked out. She struggled weakly as Metodey began to drag her across the floor._

_"That's enough, captain."_

_Metodey swung around. He let out a furious snarl at the sight of Edelgard glaring down at them._

_"You! I knew it would be you next! Couldn't keep her eyes off her, could you?!"_

_"I-I will not repeat myself," Edelgard began stumbling over her words. Her grip around her axe tightened as her hand began to tremble. "I order you once again to oversee collecting the crests. The professor is incapable of h-hindering you right now. In return, you are not to harm her in any way."_

_"Oh, I know what your game is!" Metodey's face contorted in rage. "You think this is my first go over an omega, you little whelp?! You just want to steal her for yourself! Well, you can collect **this** , Your Majesty!"_

_He charged at Edelgard, still fumbling for his sword. She gasped and leaped away from his oncoming swing. Her eyes widened in surprise as he rebounded and charged again with more blind fury than before. She glanced from Byleth to Metodey with a look of confused desperation, followed by regret._

_Edelgard swung her axe at Metodey as she side-stepped his next attack. Her shoulder piece flew off as his sword met it, grazing the skin underneath. He crashed to the floor with a low, choked growl as his hand flew to his throat. She fell on him with renewed fury, launching her axe into his back as he attempted to regain his footing. He let out a strangled cry as she landed a second blow, then a third._

_Blood pooled out of the commander's body, seeping across the floor and around her boots._

_He stopped moving._

_The Emperor turned back to Byleth. There was a foggy, vacant look in her eyes. She mumbled something inaudible.  
_

_Byleth's stomach turned._

_She was certainly no stranger to death. She had killed more than her fair share of bandits before joining the monastery._

_But this... this was different._

_She had just watched the two imperials, two allies, instantly forget everything that was going on around them and fight each other to the death. All over her scent. And she was entirely helpless to stop any of it. Or to get away, for that matter._

_She couldn't so much as stand anymore._

_Edelgard hurried her side. Flecks of the commander's blood ran down the side of her cheek. After checking for injuries, she managed to pull the professor to her feet with a strained effort._

_Two nearby imperial soldiers stopped fighting and ran up to them. Edelgard gave them a sharp glare._

_"Your Majesty, is everything all right? Can we be of assistance?"_

_"N-no!" Edelgard snapped. "I mean... I'm perfectly fine. The professor will be fine. Yes, I have everything under control... Get the crests!"_

_The solders saluted her and rushed back into the fray._

_With her arm across Edelgard's shoulder, she managed to guide her into a nearby passageway. It was nearly pitch black inside, but at least it was empty. As soon as they had rounded a corner, she helped lean her against the wall._

_Then she grabbed her roughly by the shoulders._

_"What were you thinking?!" Edelgard cried out. "An omega mercenary! It's...it's absurd! This could have happened at any point prior to today! You have put us all in danger!"_

_Byleth barely registered her words over the overpowering scent flooding her nostrils. It was unnerving enough out in the open. Here in the quiet, narrow passageway, it drowned out everything else._

_"I didn't ask for this," she whimpered._

_"Silence! I had to kill my commander because of you! You understood exactly what the risks were when you accepted this job! What if it had been one of your students instead? Like Petra or Ferdinand, or even one of the betas?"_

_"I...I just wanted..." Byleth's voice dropped to a barely audible whisper. "I never asked...to be born an omega..."_

_Edelgard's violet eyes darkened. She took a step back, raising a hand to cover her nose and mouth. "N-no... I must leave you now, professor..."_

_Wait. What?_

_Did she just say she was going to leave her here? All alone in this dark tunnel? What if Metodey came back, or some other strange alpha?_

_A fresh wave of panic washed over Byleth._

_She grabbed Edelgard's arm before she could retreat further. "N-no! I have to get back to my room... You have to help me..."_

_"Help you?" Edelgard trailed off, her expression distant. "But I can't... The crests..."_

_"Please," a choked sob escaped Byleth's throat. She was beyond hysterics. All she could process in that moment was the threat of other alphas outside and the overwhelming, yet strangely comforting scent in front of her. Even the thought of getting back to her bed was fading away._

_"Please help me, Edelgard..."_

_Edelgard's body turned rigid. She fixed the professor with an intense look she had never seen in them before. Her hands were clenched in tight fists. Silence hovered over them while the fighting continued outside._

_Then she quickly closed the distance between them, shoving her further against the wall. Her slender body held Byleth's in place with surprising strength. She shouldn't have found it as pleasant as she did._

_"O-of course I'm going to help you," Edelgard's voice began to tremble. "I was going to come back for you. I-I've always c-cared for you, my teacher."_

_Byleth blinked at her. "What are you..."_

_Edelgard leaned further in. Byleth shivered as her hot breath hit the side of her neck. She paused there, inhaling deeply. Her scent this close drove away what little was left of Byleth's mental faculties._

_All that was left was a tiny voice in the back of her head telling her that she was safe now. Her alpha had fought off the threat, and now she was about to make sure that every other alpha knew to stay away._

_She squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed._

_Then she felt sharp incisors pierce her skin._


	2. Chapter 2

Byleth shot upright, panting. Sweat ran down her forehead as the sheets fell around her waist. They were completely soaked through. She glanced around wildly.

She was in her new bedchambers - the upper omega quarters. The imperial palace. Sunlight streamed through the balcony doors and lashed viciously at her eyes. Everything was red and gold.

She groaned and raised her hands to her face.

Of course it wasn't a dream.

"Good morning, my teacher."

That voice.

That scent.

Edelgard sat in one of the chairs by the fireplace with a book in her lap. She looked over at Byleth with eyes full of concern. She blended in so well with their surroundings, it was no wonder Byleth didn't notice her at first. She had traded her school uniform for a bright red and gold gown with matching red gloves and black boots. Her long white hair still hung down along her back.

Byleth rubbed her eyes, biting back a shiver as the scent from her nightmares entered her nostrils once more. She hated how she instinctively gravitated towards it, how much it calmed her down.

"Better than yesterday," she replied.

"Oh? That's good," Edelgard hesitated. It was a strange thing to see her do. "You were very weak until we arrived at the palace. I do not know if you remember, but my soldiers helped carry you away through that passage while Rhea and the others were distracted."

"Really? I hope I wasn't too much trouble."

"...I'm afraid that I was much more trouble than you. If Hubert had not been there, I probably would have attacked them, as well."

After a short stretch, Byleth got to her feet. The dress and overcoat she had laid on the edge of the bed fell to the floor. She gave them a disdainful glare before picking them up. "I remember the carriage and tents."

Edelgard's gaze fell. She stared at her gloved hands for a moment. "If you wish, I will arrange an appointment for you with our physicians. They have been in my family's service since I was a child. They are the best in Fodlan."

Byleth's temper briefly lost it's edge. She sighed. "It's fine. I'll only be weak for a few more days. This wasn't my first heat. I know how to take care of myself."

"Yes... I would suppose that's true," Edelgard gave her a curious look. "But it has been a long time since your last heat cycle, hasn't it? I understand that you were taking suppressants."

Byleth paused, studying her face.

This was an uncomfortable subject for her. She was so used to hiding it or lying. Her life had depended on it as a mercenary, and her career depended on it at the academy. It came as naturally as breathing. It felt odd to repress that initial urge to deny it.

She gave a short nod. "Five years ago."

"I see," said Edelgard, frowning to herself while she processed this information. "Your coat hid your scent very well."

"Jeralt gave it to me," Byleth said softly. "We were never very close, but he tried to protect me as much as he could."

She made her way to the chair on the other side of the lit fireplace. The warmth felt especially good after spending the last few nights tossing and turning in a camp while a healing mage hovered over her uselessly.

Edelgard's scent agitated her. Not in the same way it did when she was in heat. Now it served as a painful reminder of her past at the monastery...and of her all-too-certain future.

Edelgard let out a nervous laugh. "I always believed that I would spend my first rut here, locked away in some room with an arranged consort I did not even know. Not fighting one of my own soldiers in the middle of battle over you. It all feels...quite surreal."

"And I never would have believed that my mate would end up being the one who ordered my father's death," a sharp edge entered Byleth's voice. "Why did I think for a single moment that you would actually help me? I suppose I should be thankful that you stopped at my neck."

The amusement died on Edelgard's face. She narrowed her eyes. "I did not give that order, nor did any of my commanding officers. Kronya acted on her own. I was truly sorry when I heard about what she had done. If I had your ability to turn back time and undo it all, I would. Not only for that reason, but so that you would not have had to be further affected by Rhea's experiments."

Byleth clenched her fists. "The crest didn't work that way. Otherwise, there are a lot of things I would change, as well."

"And as for what happened in the Holy Tomb, perhaps _I_ should be the angry one in this situation. As I just mentioned, that was my first rut. You _must_ have been aware of that. Simply dragging you as far as I did took more restraint than anyone could possibly have! I was just about to leave you in peace when you pulled me back!"

"I wasn't aware of anything except for you pinning me to the wall."

"Byleth. The Holy Tomb is the very last place I would have chosen for such a thing. I despise every inch of it."

"Why should I believe anything you've just told me?"

"You may believe what you like. In the end, neither of us were in full control of ourselves. So in truth, neither of us were to blame," Edelgard fixed her attention back on her book. Her head was angled down so that Byleth couldn't see her face anymore. "That is our curse as alphas and omegas. One of many curses the Nabateans left us with."

Byleth went quiet. The sun had finally risen above the balcony doors and out of her face. She leaned back in her chair and let Edelgard's scent wash over her, as much as she really didn't want to. It was unavoidable while they were this close to each other.

Some things weren't, though.

"It's not too late," she said. "You can still walk away from this. It was only the bite."

Edelgard glanced up in stunned surprise. She stared at Byleth, waiting for a follow-up that didn't come.

Then she laughed bitterly.

"Your father taught you nothing, I see. I'm afraid that it is too late."

Byleth frowned. "I don't understand."

"Of course not. You were raised by a clueless beta. No, my dear Byleth. A bond mark is not a simple bite. Our incisors secrete their own scent, which is then embedded into an omega's neck glands. It remains there afterward, keeping us tied to each other."

Byleth's eyes grew wide. "I...what?! Are you telling me that this is it, then? That we're stuck like this?"

Edelgard nearly flinched at the word 'stuck'. Then she quickly smoothed her expression into something more neutral. The watery sheen in her eyes couldn't be hidden as easily.

"Even children know that much. Surely you've heard it somewhere before?"

Byleth had no reply to that. The most her father had ever said about omegas was that they brought nothing but trouble to everyone and to not get involved with them. Betas preferred to keep to their own, and he was no exception. Aside from the fact that they had a heat cycle, that was the extent of her knowledge about how her own body worked until now.

But she wasn't going to admit that out loud.

The conversation died. Byleth watched her glance out the window, take a deep breath, and sink further into her chair before flipping through her book. Byleth, by contrast, tried to breathe as little as possible. Edelgard's scent was soothing. It made her feel secure, an entirely unwelcome sensation at the moment. She was supposed to be angry and terrified instead.

To distract herself, she tried to catch a glimpse of the book's contents. It was written in a language she didn't understand. She did, however, recognize the picture on the other page. It was the regal white dragon from the stained glass window back at the monastery. The Immaculate One. She had seen it in some of the library books, too. Edelgard had showed her one, actually.

She had always seemed very interested in the Four Saints. Byleth forgot to ask her why that was, or why she wanted the artifacts in the Holy Tomb so badly. Considering how her brothers and sisters died, she had a hunch.

But with the monastery back on her mind, she had a much more pressing question right now.

"What happened to the other students? The Black Eagles?"

Edelgard's posture stiffened. "Ferdinand has returned to House Aegir. Lindhart and Bernadetta have returned to their own houses, as well. The others, to my knowledge, are either in hiding or chose to remain with the church."

Byleth's throat went dry.

She knew what she would do to them. She could already envision it. She had seen the cruelty she was capable of firsthand. She wouldn't put it past her to kill them all without a second thought.

"Promise me you won't hurt them," she pleaded. "They didn't ask to be caught up in this."

Edelgard sighed heavily. "You know I cannot make that promise. If they do not side with the Empire, then I'll have no choice but to treat them as traitors."

"I won't let you!" Byleth jumped up from her chair. "Stop it, Edelgard! Come back to your senses!"

Edelgard gave her a hard glare. She closed her book and stood up.

"You are not my teacher anymore," she said. "I am the Emperor of Adrestia, as well as your alpha. And it's highly inappropriate for you to speak to me in this manner."

Byleth met Edelgard's gaze levelly - a steep uphill battle against instincts no longer dulled by herbs. "I don't care. As long as I'm alive, I won't let you hurt them."

"And they are no longer your students. They are fully trained soldiers who now stand against the Empire. Your home. _This is your home now, Byleth, and I am your mate._ Do you understand that?"

"They were your friends," Byleth hung her head in despair. "And they were the closest thing I've ever had to a family besides Jeralt. Show some mercy. At least to them."

"I cannot afford to take that risk," said Edelgard. She gave her former professor a long, considering look. "I thought you would understand by now. I thought my father was wrong. Perhaps he wasn't, after all."

Byleth looked up, suspicion crossing her face. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You are _not_ a beta, as much as you still want to believe it. You are physically weaker even than them, and your heat cycle renders you completely helpless once every few months. Even outside of those times, your scent still has such an effect on us that it places not only yourself but everyone else around you in danger. If you still cannot accept that even after witnessing it firsthand, then I will do what I must to keep you from further endangering yourself."

"Thank you so much for your concern, _Your Majesty_ ," Byleth snapped. "Once again, may I ask where this going?"

"Until you have adjusted to your new life, you will only be allowed to leave the upper omega quarters when accompanied by Hubert or myself. The dungeons and guard houses will always be off-limits regardless. You will, of course, be free to roam the main halls, ground floor, and gardens after I have given you permission to do so."

Byleth's eyes narrowed into slits. "I'm older than both you and Hubert by several years. I do _not_ need to be watched over like some child."

"Hubert will guide you to the dining hall for breakfast at nine o'clock every morning, at noon for lunch, and at six o'clock in the evening for dinner. Ah, that reminds me," Edelgard shot a glance at the pile of robes on the bed. "You will need to be properly dressed. After you put on your new dress, I will see that your old clothes are disposed of. You no longer need them."

Byleth's eyes flashed. "But...no! You can't just-"

There was a knock on the door. Both women jumped and swung around.

"Byleth?" Hubert's voice called from the other side. "Are you still asleep?"

"No, Hubert. We were just having a discussion. Come in," said Edelgard before Byleth could react.

The door clicked open. Hubert stepped into view.

"Good morning, Byleth. You look well."

Byleth crossed her arms. "I'm fine. As I have told you both repeatedly."

"Just the same, I would like to arrange a visit with the physicians for her, considering how long she has been taking suppressants on the regular," Edelgard told him. "I'm worried about the long-term effects those dirty backwater herbs could have on her health."

"Understood," Hubert replied, his mouth curving into a frown as he looked Byleth over. "And I see that you slept in your old clothes last night. If you will kindly change, I will take them down to be washed. Then I will return to show you to the dining hall. I'm certain that you must be starving."

Edelgard shook her head. "I'm afraid I won't be able to join you this morning. I have an appointment with...an appointment that cannot wait, and I cannot delay it further than I already have. Perhaps you could keep Byleth company in my place."

Hubert bowed. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Edelgard turned back to Byleth, who shot both of them a sour glare. Her violet eyes faltered briefly before she closed the distance between them. Much to Byleth's irritation, she reached up to undo her white shirt collar, looking over the painful marks she had left the other day. Ignoring the open hostility in the omega's face, she covered it up again with a soft sigh.

"I will see you at dinner, Byleth," she said.

"Tell Thales I sent my greetings," Byleth replied.

Edelgard opened her mouth, then closed it again. She turned away without another word, with Hubert trailing behind.


	3. Chapter 3

"Well, young lady, I'm shocked. I expected to find you in much worse condition than this."

The old physician patted Byleth's hand with a smile. She tucked her hands further into her red overcoat sleeves while she watched him take away the vial and needle. Her finger was still bleeding. Hubert stood beside the bedroom door, listening intently. Who could guess where Edelgard was? She hadn't seen her since yesterday morning.

At least she couldn't complain about being cold here. The overcoat was thick and warm, which was very much appreciated with how anemic she still felt. The collar, however, was less pleasant. The inner material was soft, but it was a tight fit that she wasn't used to.

Without the hidden armor underneath her old clothes, she felt vulnerable in a way she hadn't in a long time.

"Thank you," she murmured, pulling her overcoat up further with her other hand. "I already feel much better."

"Just the same, I would advise plenty of rest for the following week and a healthy diet. The suppressants you've been taking were of very poor quality. I know the kind. It's common for omegas to eventually develop an immunity to them. They can make you very ill as well as cause you to develop an erratic heat schedule if they're used too often. We try to regulate them, but for every unauthorized dealer we catch, five more take his place..."

The physician let out a quiet sigh. Byleth frowned. "I had no other choice."

"Hey, now," he gave her a fatherly smile and patted her on the shoulder. "I was a war cleric in my younger years. I've treated alphas, betas, and even a few omegas from all sorts of backgrounds out in the field. I do understand your situation..."

Hubert stepped forward. "Thank you, Master Theron. As for her diet and schedule, what sort of changes are you suggesting?"

"Nothing too out of the ordinary. Just healthy and regular meals along with plenty of rest. I can see that she has had an unusually busy lifestyle for an omega, but any sort of strenuous activity over the next few days could result in a setback. That's why I want you to take it easy this week," he said as he turned back to her. "Alright, Byleth? You are a royal consort, after all. You must take good care of your body from now on."

Byleth's gaze fell. The implications were not lost on her. "I understand."

"Well, then," he stood up. "If there are any complications, please don't hesitate to summon me back. For now, I will take my leave. Good day, er... Prime Minister."

"Good day. I will do just that if something should turn up," Hubert replied.

Byleth started in her seat. She had nearly forgotten to ask about the very thing they had been discussing this whole time.

"Wait!"

He turned around. "Yes, child?"

She cleared her throat and stood up. "About my suppressants... Won't I need more later?"

He blinked slowly at Byleth, then let out a light chuckle.

"Perhaps. Considering the...current state of affairs, there may come a time where Her Majesty is away for extended periods. Yes, I can arrange a prescription for you. This could take some time due to the season, but that shouldn't be a problem in your case. You probably won't experience your next heat for a couple of months at least."

The physician nodded to Hubert. She swallowed back a sigh as the door shut behind him.

"Consort..." she repeated to herself.

Hubert turned around. "Yes, Byleth."

She sank back into her chair.

Although she didn't know very much about how nobles lived, everyone knew what was expected of consorts. Especially in her case. Being Edelgard's first claimed mate meant that she wasn't just any consort, but the _queen_ consort. Pressure for her to produce an heir would come hard and fast. Not from Edelgard, she was sure of that after their...last conversation, but definitely from other nobles and physicians. Not to mention from her own body.

The thought of being impregnated on her next heat, with everything else that was going on, sent her into a borderline panic.

"I'm not ready to be a..."

Hubert's dark eyes softened. "As he said, the chances of you going into heat so soon after your last cycle are quite low. Focus on resting and recovering for now."

Byleth turned away. "There isn't very much left for me to focus on."

Or wanted to.

"Speaking of which, it is getting quite late. We must follow his advice and keep feeding you proper meals. If you will follow me back to the dining hall..."

He opened the door. She watched him stand there, sighing impatiently after a drawn out moment, before she stood up and followed him out into the stone hallways and winding red carpet underneath them.

* * *

"Well? What did you think?"

Byleth took another sip from the teacup Hubert had just given her as maids took away her plate. She was surprised that she was still hungry after such a large meal. But then, maybe that was understandable after spending a week in and out of consciousness, unable to stomach most of the food offered to her by the soldiers and clerics while they were on the road.

This particular dining hall was reserved for the Emperor and their family, which only consisted of herself and Edelgard at the moment. Important guests also ate there on rare occasions. Hubert, of course, was always welcome. 

Edelgard had been absent all day. Once again, it seemed to just be the two of them.

"Tastes familiar," she said.

Hubert nodded. "Do you remember all of those afternoons when you would drink tea with Lady Edelgard after our lessons? I cannot say that I approved at the time, but I managed to retrieve the recipe."

"Oh..." Byleth trailed off as she took another sip. 

"The monastery cooks were not very talkative, unfortunately. It costed me a generous tip. But I am relieved to be able to take a part of those memories home with us."

"I see."

"Also," Hubert hesitated, giving her an unreadable look. "There is something I have forgotten to thank you for."

Her gaze fell. "I'm listening."

"As I'm sure you're aware, I was one of the few betas given the privilege to attend the Officer's Academy. Lindhardt and Dorothea were betas, as well. And yet, you treated us no differently than the alpha students. It was the first time I had seen such a thing, even from fellow betas or omegas."

Byleth's eyebrows furrowed. "All of you were a part of my class. That was all that mattered to me."

"You could not have said the same for the other professors. Until about five years ago, only alphas were eligible to attend. Even now, many do not consider this kind of education necessary for us. Common betas are typically encouraged to pursue menial jobs instead, or become soldiers or mercenaries. Meanwhile, those of us who are born into nobility often enter positions such as mine, very seldom entering the military unless we display a natural aptitude for fighting or magic. Even in those cases, I suppose that some of us are still biased against each other in favor of alphas."

Byleth frowned. "I wasn't aware of that."

She didn't get to know the other professors or knights all that well. Catherine and Seteth never stopped being suspicious of her. She hardly spoke to Shamir or Manuela. Rhea was one of the few faculty members who was kind to her, really.

Towards the end, she almost became like the mother she never had.

"You spent the most time training us and taking us on patrols. If it were not for you, my skills probably would have never developed to this extent. So for that, you have my gratitude."

"Hmm," she mused. "Since I'm practically a prisoner here, maybe I made a terrible mistake."

"I can assure you that you did not. As you are the Emperor's consort, I will now use everything you have taught me to protect you with my life."

Not the answer she expected or wanted to hear. She was looking for a fight. Not this again.

Byleth sighed, tracing the cup handle with her finger. "Thank you, Hubert."

Taking another sip of her tea, she glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece above the fireplace. It was nearly seven o'clock. A tall, full-body painting of the former Emperor, Ionius IX, hung above it.

Byleth leaned forward to examine it more closely. He looked at least thirty years younger here. Less tired. Prouder. He was wearing a bright red cape that added to the regal air about him.

His expression, the way he carried himself, not to mention his white hair even back then, instantly reminded her of Edelgard. 

She let her gaze fall back to the table, intently studying the designs on the teacup.

"He was quite different then, wasn't he?"

Byleth turned around, choking down a tiny gasp of surprise. Edelgard stepped into the dining room. She looked exhausted, but seemed to visibly relax as she came closer to Byleth.

"Although I did not know him when he was that young, I remember playing with him alongside my brothers and sisters when I was a child," she said with a wistful smile. She took the large seat at the head of the table.

Byleth blinked at her in silence. Listening to her speak about her family served as an uncomfortable reminder of their close friendship at the monastery. It wasn't the first time she had confided in her like this. 

Only now... they were no longer friends, exactly. She had no idea how to navigate their relationship as it currently stood, nor how to react to such statements anymore.

For what it was worth, Edelgard looked just as uncomfortable as soon as she settled into her seat. She glanced over at Byelth as if she wanted to say something else, but then seemed to change her mind.

Byleth swallowed down the shiver that ran along her spine as alpha pheromones permeated the air around them.

"Your Majesty," said Hubert. "Master Theron saw Byleth about an hour ago. She does not appear to have suffered any ill effects from the...other suppressants, but he still advised plenty of rest and regular meals for her this week."

Edelgard listened intently. "I see. That is certainly a relief. I'm sorry that I could not have been there as I should have, but negotiations with the border houses took longer than I hoped."

Byleth took another sip of her tea, half-listening as the steam hit her face. More maids entered the room, serving a plate in front of Edelgard.

"He will also prescribe a dose of high quality suppressants for her within the next few months," Hubert continued.

"Oh," there was a slightly nervous edge in her voice. "That may be for the best. There could be times when I'm away from the palace for weeks on end. Until Rhea is captured, it comforts me to know that Byleth will not be suffering during those times."

Byleth's head shot up. Was Edelgard saying what she thought she was? She assumed until now that Rhea had been killed by the imperial army, along with the rest of the academy faculty...

"Lady Rhea is alive?"

Edelgard closed her eyes for a moment. "Yes. Rhea escaped. That is nothing to celebrate."

"I don't understand," Byleth said softly. "Lady Rhea could be a strict ruler at times, but she has been nothing but kind to everyone in the monastery. Especially to me..."

This struck a nerve with the young alpha. Her expression turned cold. "Was she?"

Byleth hesitated. "Of course."

"But don't you find it strange? That day in the Holy Tomb, when she placed you on the throne... She claimed that you would receive a revelation from the goddess, did she not? But when I saw her in that moment, the sheer desperation on her face... After everything that has transpired since, I now believe that she expected much more than a vision."

"I don't know what you're saying," replied Byleth, her brows furrowing. "She's the archbishop. Of course she would want to communicate with Sothis. It only makes sense that she would try something like that."

"The archbishop... Do you not remember what followed afterwards?" Edelgard's eyes went wide. "Surely you've realized by now that Rhea is, in fact, Saint Seiros. The Immaculate One. The very same Seiros who manipulated the people of Fodlan to wage war on Nemesis. This is the true story of the War of Heroes that has been passed down from emperor to emperor. What is lesser known is that she did not die after founding the church. She lived on to the present day, taking on different aliases as needed."

Byleth froze. She slowly shook her head. "That's impossible..."

"Is it? She proved as much when our forces retaliated to them. Do you at least remember that?"

Byleth glanced down at her lap, struggling to recall the details of that day. Faint memories of a giant white blur and inhuman roars flickered across her mind. But could that really have been...?

"I...I'm not sure..."

"Seiros is still alive. And I am quite certain by now that she was attempting to revive Sothis through you, plunging us all under Nabatean rule once more."

"But that's such a reach!" Byleth cried. "Even if she really is Seiros, she's still... why would she do something like that to me?"

"Because they are not human," Edelgard's face darkened. "They do not value our lives at all."

Tears stung the corners of Byleth's eyes. She managed to swallow them back. A part of her missed the days when her emotions were dulled.

To think that Rhea would knowingly try to sacrifice her, or worse...

"I can't believe that."

"She tried to take you away from me," Edelgard said. There was a low, barely audible growl in her voice. "I could not forgive her for that even then. Especially not now that you are my mate. Soon, we will face each other properly as alphas, and then I will free Fodlan from their influence once and for all."

Byleth looked up at her. She picked up her utensils and started to eat. Hubert said nothing while he stared ahead of him, his head resting on his hands. She choked down the rest of her tea while processing what she had just heard.

She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't.

More than anything else, she hated how much her pulse quickened when Edelgard talked about fighting another alpha over her.

The logical side of her brain was horrified at the possibility of Edelgard being right. What's more, that two women who were dear to her (even now, on some level) would meet each other in battle in the near future. Even if she still had access to a sword, this was one problem that could not be solved by simply cutting it down.

Meanwhile, her omega side swooned over the idea.

Jeralt was right. She was disgusting.


	4. Chapter 4

Frost still clung to the windows even as the sun rose high overhead. Byleth was lounging alone in the large drawing room on a couch near the window, watching her breath fog up the window panes. Maids, butlers, cooks, and occasionally other nobles hurried through the nearby hallway without acknowledging her.

It was her fifth day inside the palace. Nothing noteworthy had happened since the physician visit, except for the fact that Edelgard skipped most of her meals since that day. More often, Byleth found herself either eating in the dining room with Hubert or eating alone in her room when his work kept him busy.

Today was different. Hubert said that Edelgard had summoned her. He didn't say for what reason. Byleth no longer cared.

The door across the room opened. Hubert stepped out along with a messenger who had interrupted them earlier that morning as he was escorting her downstairs. It was urgent and couldn't wait, he had told Hubert. Byleth watched them with mild interest. The messenger looked desperate.

"But Prime Minister, are you certain? Duke Aegir signed the deal nearly seven years ago. I assure you, this will not improve relationships with the border houses."

"I'm afraid that Her Majesty has already repealed it," Hubert replied. "If you wish, you may hear it from her own lips when she returns to court."

"But... but Duke Gerth will not take this lightly..."

"Ah. There you are."

Hubert glanced past his shoulder. Byleth followed his eyes. Edelgard was standing in the doorway. Today, she had her hair wrapped up in twin buns on opposite sides, each held in place by accessories that looked like gold horns. A female soldier stood behind her, the wings on her shoulder plates identifying her as a wyvern knight.

Edelgard's eyes lit up when she noticed Byleth.

When she made no response, she reluctantly turned her attention back to the messenger.

"You are in the presence of the Emperor. Do you request an audience with me?"

The man jumped to attention before bowing low. "Your Majesty, I am a messenger from House Gerth. I have been sent on Duke Gerth's behalf to remind you about the agreement made between your families in the Year 1173."

Edelgard's posture stiffened. "We will discuss this matter privately," she replied. A sharp edge crept into her voice. "Hubert, please see that our guest is fed and made comfortable by our servants until I summon him back."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Hubert bowed. Byleth watched them vanish into the hallway, leaving her alone with the two women.

Edelgard turned to the knight. "Thank you, General Ladislava. You are dismissed."

The knight bowed, her long brown hair falling over her face. "I will serve you as well as a general as I did as a soldier, Your Majesty. The Empire will prevail."

She stood straight, surveying them briefly. Byleth's breath caught in her throat, along with the sharp scent of alpha. It was different enough from Edelgard's that she could easily tell them apart in a pitch black room. It didn't have the same calming effect on her, either. Instead, it put her on edge.

Ladislava's eyes rested on Byleth for a moment before she whirled around towards the palace doors.

Edelgard exhaled softly. A relieved smile played at her lips. "Good day, Byleth. I did not expect for Hubert to bring you downstairs this early. But I'm glad he did."

Byleth turned back to the window, shifting in her seat. "Good day, Edelgard."

She watched her smile fade away in their reflection. "Ah... Well, then. The reason I summoned you was to discuss my coronation ball, which has been scheduled for next week. Traditionally, it will also serve as our official wedding. You will need a ceremonial dress for the occasion."

Curiosity filled Byleth in spite of herself, followed by a grim realization. She glanced up. "I wonder how the other nobles will react to me being a commoner."

"It doesn't matter," her eyes flashed in defiance. "I can choose whoever I wish as my mate."

"Unlike me," Byleth retorted.

Edelgard nearly recoiled, the hurt in her eyes obvious. "I-I will not force you to attend if you truly do not wish to. However, it would mean a great deal if you did. Not only to me, but to the rest of the Empire."

She let out a quiet sigh when Byleth turned away again. "In any case, I will still arrange to have them made should you ever need them for other occasions."

Her footsteps moved away from her. Byleth ignored the tightness in her chest as she made brisk strides across the room.

She was almost through the opened doors before another knight nearly crashed into her headfirst. Edelgard let out a tiny gasp of irritation. Byleth instinctively jumped to her feet.

"...Oh! Hey, Edelgard! Wasn't the general supposed to be around here? I forgot to ask her something!"

Byleth's eyes went wide. The blue-haired boy's gaze drifted to her. For a moment, he was stunned into silence.

"Professor?!"

Byleth blinked at him in disbelief. "Caspar? But... what are you doing here?"

"Are you kidding me? I should be asking you that question!" his voice rose. "We all thought you were dead! O-or worse! I mean, Edelgard just told me they actually rescued you, but..."

"Rescued," she repeated. "That's...true. She did rescue me that one time."

Edelgard's expression shifted into something carefully neutral. Caspar rubbed the back of his neck. His scent was much fainter than hers, although she could still make out traces of alpha in it.

"So, you're like the queen now? Or consort, I guess?" he stared at her with a new sense of curiosity. "I haven't seen one in a long time. Not since my father took me to a ball when I was little."

"Y-yeah," she frowned, unsure of how to answer that question. 'Queen consort' was such a strange concept to her. Were there any major differences between the two?

In an effort to change the subject, she aimed a puzzled look at Caspar. "So, then... you've joined the imperial army?"

"I have now! Well, actually, I came to confront Edelgard about what happened after she sent me a letter. But when I found out you were here and that you were okay, I signed up right then and there. We're the Black Eagles! We've got to stick together!"

He beamed at her. Byleth felt at a complete loss for words.

"I'm just glad that you have finally decided to take this seriously," Edelgard said dryly.

"Oh yeah. Dorothea's in, too. Why is she not here?" asked Caspar. "She left a day before I did."

"Because I assigned her to Arundel. She will be working for us as an undercover agent there."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Really? Now that I think about it, she would probably be good at that kind of thing."

"Wait. Dorothea was here?" Byleth turned to Edelgard. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because she wasn't here in person, and I heard her final decision yesterday through a letter. In fact, I had planned on telling you the news earlier. Before Caspar nearly murdered us, that is."

Caspar snorted. "That's a little harsh."

"It's no less than you deserve," Edelgard's voice had a hint of playfulness in it.

"Then everyone has returned to the Empire," said Byleth. Mixed feelings were attached to that statement. "The Black Eagles, I mean."

Edelgard's face fell. "No. Petra did not respond to my summons."

Byleth fell silent.

Although she didn't know the whole story, she was aware that there was trouble between House Brigid and the Emperor that resulted in her father's death. In that case, it would make sense that Petra would want to break away from the Empire at the first opportunity. 

Byleth knew it was probably selfish to hope she would be able to see her here, a place she must no doubt hold plenty of resentment towards. But she did.

Caspar glanced from her to Edelgard, uneasiness creeping into his face. "Hey, maybe she hasn't gotten it yet. Or maybe she's on her way right now. Anything could still happen, right?"

Edelgard returned his smile with an empty one. "I suppose you're right."

"Right," Caspar grinned. "Hey, wait a second!"

"Yes?"

"I've got to show you something! Especially Byleth! You're not going to believe this! Follow me!"

Caspar rushed towards the main hall and shoved one of the front doors open. Edelgard hesitated, glancing back at the drawing room with a look of sheer dread. Then she gave Byleth a considering look before breaking into a smile. "I suppose a few more moments of self-indulgence won't hurt."

Byleth didn't want to smile back. Not at Edelgard. But Caspar's bright mood was getting the better of her. She chuckled softly to herself while watching him rush outside.

* * *

Caspar kept a steady pace as he led them across the wide brick pathways that winded around the palace grounds. It didn't take long for Byleth's breath to start coming out in short pants. The fact that a simple walk like this could exhaust her to such an extent frustrated her to no end. How long would the herbs' side effects last, she wondered.

Edelgard shot an annoyed look at Caspar ahead before turning back to her with growing concern. "Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea."

Byleth shook her head. "I-I'm fine."

Edelgard frowned, but let the matter go.

Now Caspar was leading them across a bridge. They were approaching one of the guard towers. Remembering their argument last week, she wondered if Edelgard would stop. But she kept her pace as they entered it's shadow. Low growls and shrieks could be heard in the distance as Caspar vanished around a wall. Byleth's stomach sank. She knew those sounds.

After they turned the same corner, she was met with the sight of winged reptiles lined up inside stables.

She froze. Edelgard's eyes narrowed.

"I'm learning how to ride wyverns!" Caspar exclaimed.

He ran up to one that was slightly smaller and had a white mark on it's throat. It let out a shrill growl as it stumbled away from him, beating it's wings threateningly.

"It's still a juvenile," Byleth remarked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Be careful."

"We start training them for riding as soon as they leave the nest," said Edelgard. "Ladislava gave *this* wyvern to you...?"

"Yeah. Uh, for now. Even soldiers who don't specialize in riding have to know the basics about horses and wyverns in case of an emergency. And she said this one needed to start getting used to people," he said, glancing behind him with a nervous frown.

"She should know that you're here," Edelgard eyed it with increasing unease.

"But the Emperor's here. That's even better!"

When Edelgard didn't reply, he opened the stable gates and grabbed the saddle hanging up on the wall.

Her eyes widened. "Wait. What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm about to show you what I learned this morning!"

He attached the brindle around the wyvern's head. It's breathing calmed down, but it was still eyeing them warily. It beat it's wings a few more times as he moved to attach the saddle, but then relented and folded them back.

"Stop this at once," Edelgard demanded. "It's still wild, and you have only ridden it one time!"

Confused disappointment filled Caspar's eyes. "But I got this far with her, didn't I? See, she's fine now. And it's not like she can breathe fire yet."

It clambered towards out of the stable with it's unsteady wings. He reached up to stroke it's nose. It started making a strange trilling noise, it's orange eyes drifting from Caspar to Edelgard and Byleth.

Byleth took a cautious step forward. When it didn't make any sudden movements, she took another step. Edelgard made an alarmed noise in the back of her throat. When she was close enough, she slowly reached her hand out to touch it's head. It's reddish brown scales were dry and smooth.

"That's right. You're a good girl, aren't you, Stormy?" Caspar patted it's neck.

Byleth raised an eyebrow. "Stormy?"

Caspar chuckled nervously. "I'm open to better ideas."

"It suits her," said Edelgard, her tone flat.

He climbed onto the wyvern's back, using it's neck for support. It grunted but otherwise remained still.

Edelgard's fists clenched. "Caspar, I mean it. I order you to return her to her stable this instant. I will inform the general of this, as well."

She stepped forward, hand outstretched towards Byleth.

The wyvern let out an ear-piercing screech.

Caspar flew backwards as it reared up, beating it's wings violently. Byleth was thrown to the ground with a sharp gasp as her sleeve ripped open. She felt something hot run down her arm.

"S-Stormy, stop! Hey-"

Caspar's voice faded into the background. All of Byleth's attention was on the creature towering over her, a piece of her sleeve still hanging on it's wing. In the blink of an eye, the spindly little dragon turned into a vicious predator with 10 times their strength.

She reached for her sword, only to abruptly remember that it wasn't there. Her reflexes stopped working. Time slowed to a standstill as a mouth full of dagger-like teeth closed in.

A red blur pushed her to the side and covered her body.

The wyvern struck the ground beside her. It flapped it's wings one more time and backed away towards it's nest inside the stable, letting out another warning hiss. The other wyverns snarled and screeched in unison.

Edelgard leaped up and pulled Byleth to her feet, eyes wide with terror. Caspar quickly closed the gate and hurried to their side.

"Byleth! Are you okay?! You...oh no, you're bleeding!"

Byleth's gaze trailed down to her exposed arm. It's talon made a long cut that stretched from her upper arm to her hand.

"It's not deep," Byleth muttered, still winded and partially stunned from being knocked to the ground with so much force.

"No. No... you almost..." Edelgard's voice was shaky. Her grip around Byleth's shoulders was becoming uncomfortable. 

Caspar stared dumbfounded at them. He was trembling. Byleth, by contrast, felt a strange sense of numbness wash over her from the surge of adrenaline.

"What's going on over here?"

General Ladislava stepped into view from behind them, her sharp frown deepening as she took in the situation. She roughly grabbed Caspar's shoulder and pulled him to the side.

"I told you to never go near these beasts without a trained wyvern knight or lord present. One half-decent lesson does _not_ change my orders."

"I-I'm sorry," he withered under her furious gaze. "She can't breathe fire yet, and you said she needed to be around more people. So I thought it would be okay..."

"Quiet!" she pointed at Byleth. "Look. You caused the injury of a royal consort. On your first day of service, no less. Get back to the barracks. You will be punished for this."

Caspar's eyes widened. He shot a despairing glance at Edelgard and Byleth before sighing and bowing his head. "Yes, General..."

With slumped shoulders, he slowly dragged himself across the stable fields and out of sight. Before Byleth could say anything in his defense, Edelgard's grip around her tightened to the point where only a wince came out.

The sight of her losing control of herself like this disturbed Byleth even more than the wyvern.

"Edelgard... El. It's gone now," she whispered. She reached up to pry her fingers off, but to no avail. She made no discernible reply.

A look of understanding crossed Ladislava's face, as well as caution. She came closer with slow, deliberate steps.

"Your Majesty. Let's get both of you inside where that can be treated."

She reached out to Byleth's bleeding arm.

Something between a gasp and a growl emerged from Edelgard's throat. She jerked Byleth away from Ladislava's hand. A feral light sparked in her eyes.

Ladislava pulled back. Her expression turned cold.

"...I understand, Your Majesty. With your permission, then, I will take my leave," she bowed.

The strange light in Edelgard's eyes slowly faded. Her grip slowly relaxed. "General... I do not know what came over me just now."

"Please, don't give it another thought, Your Majesty. I can imagine the kind of fright you experienced before I found you. That new recruit will _never_ do something like this again, you may rest assured."

With another bow, she swung around and left them there, heading in the same direction as Caspar. Edelgard watched her in silence. Before Byleth had time to worry about what was in store for Caspar, she was being herded back to the palace.

"I can't believe I let this happen," Edelgard mumbled to herself in a frenzy. She huddled close to Byleth while they retraced their steps to the palace, her heart hammering against the omega's arm.

"It's really not that serious..." Byleth replied quietly. 

Edelgard just shook her head.

The front doors to the palace swung open for them as they approached. Servants glanced their way curiously as she dragged her up the stairs and through a series of hallways. She wondered where Edelgard was taking her until she opened a door to a lavishly decorated room that could only belong to her.

Once they were inside, Edelgard buried her face in Byleth's chest, inhaling deeply. Byleth stared down at her in shock, heat creeping into her cheeks. Not too long ago, she was ordering her around like one of her servants while announcing that she was about to kill her friends. Now, she was beside herself almost beyond speech over a scratch on her arm.

Was it the mating bond? But what about Byleth, then? Her feelings obviously went in a very different direction than Edelgard's. 

Didn't they? 

How much of all this was genuine and not just instinct?

She swallowed.

"I... I thought for a moment that..." Edelgard stammered.

"That my head was about to be bitten off," Byleth finished for her.

"I-it's my fault, I suppose. I must have startled it by approaching it too quickly. I should never have let things go so far to begin with."

Taking a deep breath, she released Byleth from her iron grip. Part of her wanted to throw herself back at the alpha.

"Thanks for saving me," she mumbled instead.

Edlegard's face lit up, contributing to the painful feeling in Byleth's chest. "At least you're calling me El again."


	5. Chapter 5

_"Ugh!"_

_The girl stumbled to the ground in front of Byleth. She kept a firm grip on her wooden toy sword while the other girl's fell to the ground beside them. The two boys watching them began to snicker._

_"S-shut up," she coughed out, shooting them all a venomous look. "What'd you do that for?!"_

_Byleth gave her a blank look. "But you wanted to fight."_

_The other girl scowled up at her. Byleth wasn't even tired. With another cough, she got to her feet and brushed the dirt off her skirt._

_"You're all in for it now! Didn't I just tell you guys I'm an alpha?! I bet you're all just plain old betas!"_

_"Oh, what do you know?" one of the boys scoffed._

_"That's what my papa's doctor said. Sothis only made a few people alphas and omegas."_

_The other boy burst into laughter. "Well, guess what I'm telling MY father tonight. Sothis made you the wimpiest alpha this side of Airmid River, and you're STILL bragging about it."_

_"What's an alpha?" asked Byleth._

_The other girl's eyes widened. "Huh?"_

_"Rina? What are you doing out here?!"_

_The four of them instantly went quiet. A man charged out of the nearby shop, leaving the door swinging behind him. He wore a brown overcoat over his clothes and a black collar over his neck. He glared down at them before pulling his daughter to the side._

_"What did I just tell you this morning? You aren't allowed to play with them anymore."_

_Tears formed in the corners of the girl's eyes. "B-but Mama..."_

_"Stop it. I won't listen to another word. You're going to be a captain in the army someday, do you hear me? And when that day comes, all these other children will be following your orders. That's why-"_

_"Raise your own brat how you want, but leave mine out of it."_

_The man's head shot back up. Byleth looked up to find Jeralt standing over her. He placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her behind him._

_The other man gave him an indignant look. "Gladly. My husband is the wealthiest merchant on the western coast. We have no reason to speak to each other in the first place."_

_"Yeah. I know your husband," Jeralt crossed his arms. "The only reason he's a merchant now is because he was kicked out of the monastery for stealing."_

_The man narrowed a vicious glare at him._

_"Come on, Byleth. We don't have time for this idiot."_

_Byleth blinked up at him with wide eyes as he grabbed her hand. She tried to look behind her one last time, but he was pulling her along too quickly. A few more turns down the street and they were back at the inn._

_Once they were in their room, he let go of her hand._

_"Well, you don't look hurt," he told her. "Get an early night's sleep. We're moving out tomorrow."_

_Byleth watched him sit down and lean back in the chair beside the window. Frowning, she walked over to the table beside him. "Papa..."_

_"I told you not to call me that," Jeralt aimed a sharp look at the door. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes when he looked back at Byleth, but it was quickly replaced with a strict frown. "We've been over this before. Your parents died when you were a baby. I...don't think it's respectful to him to call me your father instead."_

_Unhappiness stirred within her. Even if he wasn't her real father, he still adopted her. He was one in every other way._

_"If it's about that kid, don't let it get to you. Some alphas have it in their heads that they're better than us because they have a little more arm strength. When they grow up, that is. Know what, though? Betas aren't the ones throwing the job if they so much as look at each other wrong. That, or catch the wrong scent at the wrong time. They're almost not worth the trouble."_

_His expression became distant. Byleth stared at him, remembering the last mercenary he sent away._

_"Am I a beta?" she asked._

_"Maybe. Your parents were betas," his mouth curved into a slight smile._

_"I think I'd rather be an alpha instead..."_

_Jeralt placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kid, don't wish to be anything except who you are. For all their power and status, alphas are always bickering with each other over the smallest things. Omegas aren't in much better shape, to put it lightly. They're always hurting themselves, yet we're the ones left to clean up the mess."_

_"They...hurt themselves?" Byleth tilted her head. "But I didn't see any bruises on the shopkeeper or that other man."_

_"Good," Jeralt replied gruffly, suddenly eager to cut this conversation short. "All I've got to say is that I'm not hiring another one after last week's nightmare. The militaries can have them. I'm glad I don't have their nose, and they can keep whatever they've got going on with omegas. I'm glad I'm me, and I'm glad you're you."_

_He ruffled her dark teal hair with a smile. She slowly smiled back._

_"Me too."_

* * *

Byleth shuddered as her eyes slowly opened. It was still dark. Dim light came from the embers that were left in the fireplace.

She sat up with a groan. Once again, her thick bed sheets were soaked in sweat. She raised a hand to her face. So was her forehead and bandaged arm, along with the rest of her body. More than the usual extent.

Her eyes snapped wide open. The physician's words rang through her head.

_"They can make you very ill and cause an erratic heat schedule..."_

The herbs... But it had been nearly two weeks since she'd touched them...

She leaped out of bed and ran to the mirror. A pitiful sight greeted her. Her hair, now light green, was damp around her face and the shoulders of her white nightgown. Matching emerald eyes stared back in growing panic.

She couldn't go into heat. Not yet. Not now.

Hubert probably wouldn't notice anything. But what about Edelgard? 

On one hand, she seemed almost as eager for the new prescription to go through as Byleth was. Maybe she would be capable of speeding up the process if Byleth asked her to. 

Unless she went into rut, that is. The next time she caught _that_ scent, would she be able to stop herself even if she wanted to? Would Byleth?

Her gaze fell.

_Jeralt... I wish you could have told me more about this.  
_

She pushed herself away from the mirror. Her head was starting to throb.

She couldn't wait for her fancy official suppressants. She had to find something _now_.

Byleth glanced out the balcony window. Shades of pink and purple were bleeding into the sky. Opening the wardrobe doors, she pulled out a clean overcoat and hastily threw it on. After putting on her slippers and running a comb through her hair once or twice, she crept to the door and carefully opened it.

The hallway was empty. Candles flickered along the walls. Armored footsteps could be heard making their rounds further away.

She knew how tight security was. Her chances of even making it past the gates were slim to none, let alone all the way to the marketplace. But there was a chance that one of the beta servants in the palace might be able help her. With this problem, anyway. Maybe the cooks had similar herbs stored in the kitchens.

For the first time since she came here, she was disobeying Edelgard's orders. She ignored the sinking feeling in her stomach and forced herself onward.

She had just made it to the staircase when she heard voices coming from another room.

"Understood, Your Majesty. I just wish I could have had more time with the new recruits first."

It sounded like Ladislava.

"I believe in them," Byleth would know _that_ voice from any distance. "I have seen what they can do. I'm left with no doubts that we will return victorious."

"Your words reassure me, Your Majesty."

"...How is Caspar doing?"

"Oh, he is adjusting well enough. For an alpha who hasn't even presented yet, I'm already impressed with his fighting prowess. His impulsiveness is the only thing that bothers me."

"Yes. He is one of the most genuine people I've ever met. It is people like him who help strengthen my resolve."

A door somewhere opened.

"Oh, Your Majesty. That just reminded me. There is something I need to discuss with you."

"Can it wait?" Impatience crept into Edelgard's voice.

"...No."

There was a pause. The door slowly clicked shut. 

Byleth swallowed and kept moving. After traversing more halls, she reached the second flight of stairs.

She stopped in her tracks when she reached the ground floor.

She didn't know the way to the kitchens or pantry. On her first trip inside the palace with Edelgard, she had followed her directly to the throne room and back out to Enbarr. Since she had started living here, Hubert usually just guided her to the dining room and back, or to drink tea in the gardens on some days. Or in yesterday's case, he led her to a drawing room. She had no idea where the rest of these corridors led. 

Hesitating, she picked the one next to the hallway that led into the dining room. Silence surrounded her. No maids could be seen. She tried one of the doors but found it locked. The second led to what looked like a meeting room. Other rooms were similarly empty or had nothing of note inside.

The door at the end of the hall was left open. An icy breeze was coming through it. Glancing around, she peeked through it and found what looked like a small courtyard.

Something caught her eye.

A cluster of vines wound up the side of the walls. Some were brown and half-rotted, but others were still relatively green. They looked thick enough to support her weight.

A hurricane of emotions rushed through her.

She could get out this way. There wasn't a tree in sight for miles, but if she could just find walls and buildings to dodge behind and stay out of the guards' view, she might be able to make it as far as the marketplace.

After that...

An overwhelming sense of anxiety set in. If only it was out of fear from being caught. The thought of being separated from Edelgard's scent and protective presence nearly caused her to shut down then and there.

There was no good reason for it. She trained the girl, for the goddess's sake. She had plenty of experience both fighting and being on her own in general.

Reminding herself of that didn't stop her heart from pounding hard in her chest.

She froze when she reached the stone wall, taking in the dizzying heights stretching above her. The sky was transitioning into a dull gray as the sun rose.

Shaking her head, she grabbed the lowest vine and tested it. It started to fray. Uneasy, she reached up for the next one.

It snapped.

She landed on her backside with a pained grunt.

"Yes, I'm afraid they are not as sturdy as they look. I made the same mistake once."

Her head swung around. Edelgard stood outside the door she just came out of, watching her with an analytical expression.

Byleth moved to scramble to her feet when she held her hand out to her. Heart hammering, she hesitantly let the girl pull her up. She steeled her nerves for her to get angry or announce some sort of punishment.

Instead, she reached up to straighten out Byleth's overcoat.

"Before I was sent to the academy, I would often come here when I had trouble sleeping," she shot one last frown at the bandages on her arm. "Aside from that reason, your scent is rather hard to ignore."

Byleth felt her face heat up. This was almost punishment enough.

Edelgard relaxed as soon as she was satisfied there were no new injuries. Releasing Byleth, she leaned against the wall and began studying her red boots.

"I leave for Garreg Mach the day after tomorrow," she said quietly. "I have been in many battles since I first arrived there. I shall have the entire Adrestian army behind me. And yet, I feel so vulnerable now..."

For a split second, Byleth forgot the Flame Emperor and was reminded of the princess she once rescued. Then both memories gave way to a sudden instinctive urge to comfort who was standing here now - her mate.

Once more, she found herself pushing those thoughts away.

Edelgard looked up at her. "Perhaps because, for the first time, I will be fighting without you by my side."

Byleth blinked, stunned.

Out of all the things she expected her to say, it wasn't this. Not after, well, everything so far.

Edelgard's eyes drifted down and lingered on the second sword attached at her hip. Byleth hadn't noticed it until then. To her greater surprise, she unsheathed it and handed it to her.

"I want you to test me one final time, my teacher," she said. "I wish to have you by my side again. And I wish for you to prove to me that I am wrong...about both of us. That the general, my father, and all the rest are wrong..."

Byleth stared at the plain steel sword. It looked like the kind Ladislava and Caspar used. 

Slowly, she reached down and wrapped her fingers around the hilt.

"...Alright."

Edelgard took a few steps back and reached for her own sword's decorative gold hilt. Byleth stepped away from the wall, positioning herself.

The sword met her own with a force that nearly knocked the breath out of her.

She staggered backwards, eyes widening as she held it up defensively. Edelgard hesitated, then advanced with another swing. 

This... this was nothing like their lessons back at the monastery.

Each blow came harder than the next. Or so it seemed to Byleth. Edelgard, by contrast, showed no signs of straining herself. Each swing that Byleth parried was followed by another one of equal, devastating strength. 

She could only recall three other human foes that could match it. The first two were bandit leaders that she had fought alongside her fellow mercenaries before she became a professor. The third was Sylvain's older brother, Miklan. Even before he transformed, it easily took both Edelgard and herself back then to match him. And it was still a difficult fight.

With her skills, betas were manageable enough even one-on-one. That also went for alphas who hadn't presented yet, if her time teaching was anything to go by.

This, though?

The scent that Edelgard was giving off right now was so soothing... 

Why were they doing this, again? Wasn't this her mate? The lesson flew out of her mind, replaced by thoughts of a different nature. 

She wanted to feel her teeth in her neck again.

She wanted...

Her hands began to tremble. She took a few shaky steps back.

Edelgard paused, waiting for her to get a hold of herself. Her eyes held mixed emotions. The most infuriating one was surprise. But now Byleth saw an opening to disarm her. With what little self-control she had left, she darted in and swung the sword at an angle meant to loosen her grip.

"Ngh..." Edelgard flinched, barely.

Before Byleth had time to retreat, the counter swing knocked her flat on her back. The steel sword clattered to the ground beside her. 

Her eyes widened as Edelgard stepped closer. 

"I was holding back."

She sheathed her sword and stared at Byleth, who was still panting.

"That's impossible," Byleth snapped between breaths. "You were never this strong at the academy. It must be some kind of spell."

Edelgard let out a bitter chuckle. "If only it were. I've broken several things by accident since...since then. This is new to me. It's so difficult to control."

She took her hand and pulled her up.

"You lost focus."

Byleth shooke her head irritably. Their talking was starting to clear it a little bit. "Of course not."

"Then explain to me what happened."

It wasn't a question. Byleth couldn't find an answer. Just before she tried to disarm her...what was she doing? Was she just...standing there?

Edelgard fell silent for several long moments.

Then she pushed Byleth firmly against the wall. She let out a startled gasp.

"Are you still focused, Byleth?"

"How...could I _not_ be?" she snapped.

"Oh? I cannot say the same for myself. Each day is worse than the last."

Byleth went quiet as the Emperor's cool composure began to fall apart.

"I used to judge other alphas quite harshly, you know. Their behavior disappointed me. Particularly nobles who fully embrace it. The outbursts hiding just beneath the surface, their utter lack of self-control around a scent that only vaguely registered to me until the last few weeks. Now, I understand it all too well."

She tensed. Her face turned red.

"Do you know that some part of me...actually wished to kill Metodey even before he touched you? My own commander, who swore fealty to me and followed me into battle, in spite of knowing full well what Rhea was. Whenever another alpha so much as lays eyes on you, I relive the moment when I swung my axe into his back. My muscles burn constantly. Even though I'm not in rut right now, I struggle to not launch myself at any other alpha within reach. Ladislava, the captain, the gatekeeper, even Ferdinand and Caspar. Any of them would do. For no particular reason," she breathed. "You smell so good, Byleth."

Byleth shivered. Maybe she should have been disturbed. Instead, it all threw her into a hazy excitement just like before.

"Push me away," Edelgard ordered.

"Huh..."

"I told you to push me away. I want you to show me what you would do if another alpha disarmed you and you had no heat suppressants. Or if, by some chance, they failed again."

After a pause, Byleth lifted her hands and strained against her shoulders. Although Edelgard was smaller than her, it was like pushing against the stone wall behind them. What's worse was that she wasn't even struggling to hold her in place. 

She didn't have to. Her scent was as good as any set of chains. 

At some point, she stopped struggling. She stared down at her with a blank, clouded expression.

Edelgard let her go.

"I stood outside of your tent each night, watching the cleric tend to you while the captains leered in our direction. They were no different from Metodey. I could see the same look in their eyes," she whispered. "The other students, the ones who were alphas like me, I knew then that they would be the same. If not now, then someday. But I was not like them."

She looked down, clenching her fists.

"That's what I kept repeating to myself. While your scent and the mating bond was driving me mad, I promised myself that I would do what I must to protect you from alphas like them. Even if you did not understand why. Or rather, refused to accept it," she shook her head. "But that is quite impossible, isn't it? After all, I am the very thing I wished to protect you from."

Byleth scanned the girl's face for a long moment, attempting to process what she had just heard. "I... I won't defend your actions as the Flame Emperor, or the way you've been keeping me under a constant watch. But your commander tried to rape me. You stopped him. Whatever else you may have done, you aren't the same as him."

Edelgard let out a dry laugh. "Do you still believe that? I would be a liar if I told you that practicing was the only thing on my mind right now. In truth, the only difference between Metodey and myself is that I was the one who survived."

She took a step back.

"You will remain in the palace until you have been nursed back to full health," she said. "Then, if I have finally succeeded in frightening you away...I will not stop you if you still wish to leave. But I cannot guarantee what I might do next. I am no longer my own master, it seems."

She turned around, her long white hair swaying behind her.

"You will not accompany me to Garreg Mach. Although I say that I dream about fighting alongside you again, I do believe that I would lose my mind if I saw you on the battlefield now."

She left her standing there without another word. For all her talk about scaring Byleth, she was the one who looked afraid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loredump chapter. I've always liked the idea of alphas and omegas being more animalistic than betas even outside of their heats/ruts.
> 
> I'm doing the 70/30 percent birth rate split some other stories do for betas vs alphas and omegas. So most of the humans that Byleth fought before were either betas or (in the monastery) younger alphas who hadn't presented yet.


	6. Chapter 6

"Then my father's title..."

Edelgard nodded, handing Ferdinand a scroll across the desk. "Yes. His title, his land, everything that he owned is now yours. You are now the Duke of Aegir, as well as my Prime Minister. Hubert will step down and assume the position of my adviser and new tactician."

Hubert gave a low bow. There was a hint of relief in his face. "I will serve you in whatever way you feel is best, Your Majesty."

After a moment's hesitation, Ferdinand took the scroll. Satisfied that he was no longer needed, Hubert excused himself and left them alone in the office.

"I always thought I would be the one to unseat my father," the redhead frowned. "You keep besting me at every turn, it seems..."

A flash of annoyance coursed through Edelgard that, for once, had nothing to do with the other alpha's scent. "What matters is that it's done. This petty rivalry of yours really must stop. I've always considered you a valued friend, Ferdinand."

Ferdinand's orange eyes lit up. "Even so, sometimes I simply cannot help myself. I have to admit that I enjoyed our rivalry, as you say, back at the academy. In a way, I don't think I would have improved quite as much without you."

His words rubbed Edelgard the wrong way. In reality, he couldn't come close to rivaling her. She had thoroughly destroyed him in every single one of their practice duels. She could still do it again with ease.

A restless thrill gripped her. She shifted in her seat.

"You give yourself too little credit," she murmured. Her gaze fell to the documents in front of her. She picked up her quill and began to look them over.

"I presented a few months before you did."

She glanced up, her violet eyes boring into him. "Hm? I don't recall hearing of this."

"You could say this was the one thing I did manage to beat you to," he let out a hesitant chuckle. "It was at the marketplace. I never saw the omega, but I remember their scent well enough. Fortunately, Catherine happened to be nearby just then. When we reached the inn, she gave me something that helped."

There was a pause.

"I believe I know what you're about to suggest."

"They do make you feel quite ill for a few hours. But they also do away with the edge, so to speak. My father has always taken those herbs regularly. If only he had thought to send some with me when I first left for the academy," his eyes narrowed. "When this battle is behind us..."

"I will consider it," she replied quietly.

Ferdinand gave her a sympathetic smile. "It does get better, Edelgard. Just slowly. The first three months were frightful! It's...well, not _as_ frightful now..."

He turned for the door and closed it behind him with a click, leaving her alone with her troubled thoughts and the mountain of paperwork in front of her.

She pulled out a new stack of documents that she was supposed to sign and began glossing over them. The invitation list for the scheduled ball caught her attention. She hastily pushed it to the side, moving on to Commander Randolph's daily report.

It had been arranged by her father directly after her coronation without her knowledge, and she had only just been informed of it a few days ago. She should have expected it. It was an old tradition. But with all of her other preparations to see to, it completely blindsided her. 

The only positive aspect was the wedding ceremony that would now be a part of it. That, she didn't mind so much. That is, if Byleth had changed her mind by then...and if Edelgard survived the upcoming battle.

How ironic. She had always despised formal events and ceremonies such as these. Yet it was pleasant to think about Byleth standing there beside her while the priest gave a formal announcement of their bond to the nobility of the Empire. She would be wearing her imperial collar and robes, marking her as _her_ consort as well as warning other alphas what the penalty was for touching her.

The quill started to drift out of her fingers.

She used to daydream about Byleth in class. Back when she was simply her dear professor and yet another beta who was innocently unaware of the harsh world alphas and omegas struggled to survive in. She used to find it endearing. Oftentimes, she had wished to be a beta herself. For more reasons than one.

One of her most common fantasies was proposing to her after the war was over. 

An alpha and beta. The Emperor and a commoner. It would have been scandalous. It would have broken every tradition Fodlan - no, the world - had. After turning down all the families who no doubt sought to use their omegas to raise their own house's social position with her, she and Byleth would spend the rest of their days taking walks in the garden and talking about whatever was on their mind over bergamot tea, just like they used to.

Being an alpha and a beta couple, they wouldn't have been able to have children. For some reason, betas were unable to with anyone except other betas. But that didn't matter to her. She wasn't concerned with continuing her bloodline, and she had even planned on naming someone completely unrelated as her heir when the time came. 

However, more troubling problems arose from their differences. 

That was the one concern in the back of her mind that gave her the most pause when it came to her feelings for Byleth. Alphas were not built like beta men. Even alpha women were not only stronger than they were, but...bigger. And that wasn't taking into account their knots or the state Edelgard would enter if they ever triggered her rut. The fact of the matter was, chances were high that she would have seriously injured Byleth if they had consummated their marriage.

But that was no longer a problem, was it?

Edelgard's vision glazed over with memories of the overpowering, sweet scent that drove her over the edge. Of Byleth panting underneath her while she nosed the scent glands in her neck and her pants became strangely tight.

And then, of Byleth's furious rejection afterward... 

Her chest suddenly felt tight.

She was all too aware that Byleth hated her. Perhaps she had several good reasons to. Edelgard was prepared to ally with anyone who would help her unite Fodlan and dismantle the church - and dispose of anyone who stood in the way. For all of Byleth's years as a mercenary, there were still certain realities of war and politics that she obviously couldn't bring herself to accept yet. Edelgard couldn't blame her for it. She hadn't grown up in the cutthroat world of nobility like she had, nor did she have to watch as her brothers and sisters...

Now that Byleth bore her bond mark, she felt an overwhelming compulsion to do whatever was necessary to protect her. If she still hated her for it in the end, then...so be it.

The painful reality of the situation didn't stop a new barrage of thoughts about Byleth whispering 'please' over and over again while pinned beneath her. Only not in that horrible tomb this time, but in her bedchambers.

Her breath hitched. She pushed the report away from her with an irritable sigh. A coppery taste ran down the inside of her cheek. She hadn't realized that she was biting down so hard.

It almost reminded her of how Byleth's skin tasted.

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter," Edelgard called out, swallowing nervously.

The door clicked, and a servant peeked out from behind it. Her neutral, bland scent was more noticeable than usual.

"Your Majesty," she bowed, taking a deep breath. "Lord Ionius has requested your presence."

She might as well have just thrown cold water in Edelgard's face.

* * *

Edelgard had not been inside her father's room in years. She couldn't have been nine. Very little had changed since then. It was somewhat bigger than her own, and most of the furniture had black accents instead of red. He was sitting in his old chair beside the window across from his bed, with blankets wrapped around his legs.

He glanced up when she shut the door behind her. He gave her a small smile, and it struck her just how feeble he looked. While she didn't want to admit it, she knew deep down that he was right - he didn't have much time left.

"Edelgard..."

She took a hesitant step forward. "You wished to see me, father?"

"Yes. Of course, I always welcome your company, my daughter."

Gathering her dress skirt, she sat down in the other chair nearby. She placed her hands on her lap, waiting for him to continue. She was almost tempted to bring up her concerns about the coronation ball again, but thought better of it.

"I am aware that you are returning to Garreg Mach..."

Edelgard paused. She blinked at him.

"Yes."

"I know what you're planning."

A long silence fell between them. She had anticipated this conversation happening at some point. Just not yet.

"I made an oath that everything that I do as Emperor will be for the benefit of our people. Starting with this."

"Then what I have heard is true," he sighed. "But the monastery... I was not only forced to watch helplessly as my children were taken away and tortured, but now I must stand by as my dear daughter destroys a sacred place...one that holds many fond memories for me."

"For me, as well," replied Edelgard. "But sometimes we must force things to go our way. Otherwise, the peace I swore to bring to Fodlan will never be achieved."

"Such ominous words... and yet, I still feel such pride when I look at you. Why..."

Edelgard's chin rose. "The church has already done enough damage. If left unchecked, it will destroy us. I will unite Fodlan under a new order, one where crests no longer determine our worth or are forcefully implanted within us. In my new Empire, this irrationality shall be left in the past where it belongs. Unfortunately, this is the only way forward."

Ionius listened in silence. His expression held mixed emotions. She couldn't tell if her words had reached him. She hoped that they had. Either way, she was certain that someday both her father and Byleth would see the truth.

"My only remaining hope is for you to return home safely," he replied after a long pause. "Not only for myself, but for your new consort."

She tensed at the abrupt change of subject. "I understand."

He stared at her for a moment. A curious look entered his eyes. "An omega in the Officer's Academy... I knew she reminded me of someone. Your mother smuggled herself in, too."

Distant childhood memories of a pretty woman with light brown hair smiling down at her briefly crossed her mind. "...Yes."

He leaned back in his chair. A wistful look came over him. "I made some regretful decisions in my youth. If nothing else, I do not wish for you to repeat _those_ mistakes. Do not forget to protect your omegas. No one else will, not in the same way that you would."

"I...understand. I promise that I will do all in my power to keep Byleth safe," she nodded, her voice faltering. "But I decided long ago that I would only have one mate. That is where we differ, father."

His frown deepened. "It concerns me to hear you say it. As you're well aware, the Hresvelg House has many enemies. The more omegas you have by your side, the greater your chances are of having a surviving heir after you have passed away. You never know when that time will come."

"I understand this. But I have made my decision."

"Maybe you _will_ come to understand when you're older," Ionius shook his head. "May the goddess bless and guide you, my child... I fear you will need it."

Her shoulders relaxed slightly. "Thank you, father."

* * *

Edelgard all but dragged her feet back towards her office, her thoughts a tangled mess. A few servants gave her flustered bows as she passed. She was too distracted to pay them any attention.

She came across Byleth's door on the way.

She paused, listening. No sounds came from the other side. She must have still been sleeping. 

Her fingers grazed the outside of the door. Byleth slept until nightfall after their fencing lesson yesterday morning. Even now, she still hadn't left her room. She must have been exhausted. Had Edelgard hurt her by accident?

It was entirely her fault. How childish of her. She had already broken the promise she just made. What's more, the thought of leaving her alone in this state pained her more than she imagined it would.

Edelgard would have to find the courage to walk tomorrow's path alone, for both their sakes.

A vaguely sweet, pleasant scent hit her. Byleth wasn't in heat, it wasn't that strong yet. But it was still enough to send a shiver down her spine. 

She backed away and hurried down the hall.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter probably skirts into E rated territory. Mind the tags.

Countless stars dotted the skies over Enbarr when Byleth woke up. The city was almost as lively at night as it was during the day. The Opera Hall could be heard in the distance. For being on the verge of war, it almost felt peaceful.

The same couldn't be said for Byleth.

She dug deeper into the storage closet, pulling out a series of spare pillows and blankets with an impatient huff before arranging them in a careful circle on the bed. She took a step back, giving them a scrutinizing look. 

The haziness had subsided, along with the on and off headaches for the time being. Unfortunately, the dull cramps that had replaced them made it impossible to fall back asleep. A nameless sensation drove her to move. She was keenly aware of her own scent surrounding her, familiar and mildly sweet.

The extra pillows weren't enough. Something else was missing. It was there before. Now, it wasn't.

She paced around the bedroom, scanning over the various objects around her.

Her eyes fell on Edelgard's book, still lying on the mantelpiece over the fireplace. The Four Saints. Several pages around the middle had been dogeared. She had to wonder why she never came back for it.

She walked over towards it and picked it up. Faint traces of Edelgard's scent still lingered there. She raised it to her face and inhaled, mouth slightly parted.

It wasn't enough. It would have to do for now, but she needed to find more. Her bed needed just a little bit more of this scent, maybe a few more blankets and pillows, and everything would be perf...

She froze. The book slipped out of her hands. 

It wasn't the first time she had done something like this.

It happened one other time. Five years ago.

Memories of that evening at an old roadside inn on Fodlan's south coast rushed back to her. That time when Jeralt hired on two more alphas - a young woman a few years older than her who had just left the Faerghus army, and a former bandit who deflected to their side during their last job. 

Byleth had been three months away from turning 19. Still technically within the age range for presenting as an alpha or omega, but it became increasingly unlikely past that point.

So Jeralt was every bit as confused as she was at her sudden burst of irritability and reluctance to leave the room she felt settled in. The old innkeeper was the only one who had any idea what was going on. Byleth recalled listening at the door, pushing it ajar as quietly as she could while they discussed her downstairs.

* * *

_"Sir, I have eight grown children of my own. I've seen it before," she said. "They all do this. My fifth, he made the nicest nest you ever saw in our back room, and he'd snap at anybody who so much as touched his blankets. His heat came that very next week."_

_"But isn't it rare for them to present this late?" he asked. "No, that can't be it. The kid's tough as nails. I don't think an omega could do what she can."_

_"She keeps up with you lot well enough," the innkeeper's voice took on a pointed edge. "But that's neither here nor there if she goes into heat on the road. That's going to be a real problem with those two alphas in your group, and you know as well as I do that the thieves you're after would jump on the opportunity to get at her while she's down. Why don't you leave the poor dear here with me? I'll see that she's not disturbed until you get back."_

_"It's a kind offer, but I still think you're wrong. It's probably just teen angst. It's can't be easy on a girl to grow up moving around all the time."_

_The innkeeper sighed. "I hope so, sir."_

* * *

Of course...

They called it nesting. It was something omegas felt the urge to do whenever their heat was on the horizon. They would instinctively seek out a space they felt safe in and surround it with extra bedding and comfortable scents. It had been so long that she had nearly forgotten.

She hastily turned away from it. This all but confirmed that she wasn't merely sick.

The door opened. A maid stepped in, giving her a short bow.

"Good, good. You're awake," she smiled. "I was told to let you know that it's time for dinner. Unless you would rather eat here."

As if in answer, sharp hunger pangs traveled up through her stomach. She wondered how long it had been since she last ate. She had completely lost track of time since that morning. 

She wondered if Edelgard would make it to dinner this time. 

Their courtyard lesson was still burned in her mind. The normally steely look in her eyes giving way to fear and uncertainty, dragging Byleth down with them.

Unbidden, that old pride a teacher sometimes felt for a student who had surpassed them crept in. From the moment she first laid eyes on her back in Remire Village, she could tell by the air of power and ambition she gave off that she was destined for greatness. 

It was part of what drew her to choosing the Black Eagles. Or rather, to her. The girl interested her. She wanted to learn more about her. She wanted to see how far she would go.

She had already far exceeded her expectations. Not only in battle, but as well as in the way she inspired instant awe and respect among Adrestia's citizens. That side of her, she hadn't misjudged at all.

The only thing she misjudged was the nature of the connection she had felt towards her.

The maid cleared her throat, snapping Byleth's attention back to the present.

She looked back at the wild, haphazard mess that was her bed, then quickly looked away. Away from the frustration stirring within her.

"I'll be right down," she muttered, half to herself. "I need to stretch my legs, anyway."

The maid glanced over her shoulder. "Bad night? Not to worry, I'll make the bed up while you're eating."

Annoyance surged through Byleth. Her mouth twitched. Everything was fine just the way she had arranged it. She never asked this woman to intrude on her space. Only Edelgard...

...Oh.

"Thank you," she said quietly, biting it all back.

* * *

Byleth descended the staircase alone for once, leaving the busy maid behind. Something deep inside still raged at the woman, angry that someone not Edelgard had dared to barge in while she was in the middle of preparing her nest for-

She suppressed an irritated sigh, refusing to finish that thought.

It wasn't the maid's fault. She was only doing her job.

She descended the stairs, veering towards the hallway to her right. It was a familiar route by now. The only thing that was different tonight was the atmosphere. An air of quiet anticipation hung over the palace. The guards had a faraway look in their eyes, and what few servants she ran across spoke in hushed whispers as she passed.

Tomorrow, Edelgard would officially declare war on the church. She would depart from the palace and lead the imperial forces back to Garreg Mach, where she would either destroy or be destroyed by Rhea...

Her feelings about the archbishop had become just as muddled as her feelings about Edelgard, in spite of being ready to jump to her defense in the Holy Tomb that day. 

As much as she hated to admit it, her accusations towards Rhea weren't entirely baseless, thanks to stumbling onto her father's diary shortly before the imperial attack. There were times when she, too, would catch an eager - no, desperate - look in Rhea's eyes that Byleth was certain had nothing to do with her being an omega, with her scent being concealed at the time.

There was also the undeniable fact that the church did nothing to put a stop to the cruel practice of surgically infusing children with crests. If anything, their inaction almost made it seem as though they approved of the practice...

She no longer knew how she felt about this war anymore.

She didn't know how she felt about Edelard anymore, either.

Descending the steps into the foyer, she made her next turn down the following hallway.

Muffled voices could be heard through the walls somewhere ahead. One of them stirred Byleth's memory. She stopped, straining to listen as the voices ceased.

A door in front of her opened.

Lord Volkhard stepped into view, followed by a woman Byleth had never seen before.

Edelgard's uncle... He visited her in the monastery once.

Wary, Byleth stood frozen to the spot. Volkhard's eyes bored into her, utter shock etched into his face. The rose-haired woman glanced from Byleth to Volkhard in amused confusion before her eyes finally rested on her, widening slightly.

Byleth could easily guess why. He no doubt recognized her as one of the academy professors. And now, here she was. His niece's mate.

Holding back a sigh, she braced herself.

"You..." he said at length. "I see. This is...unexpected."

"Lord Volkhard-"

"It astounds me that the monastery allowed an omega to join it's faculty. Or rather, that they did not take the proper precautions to ensure that you weren't one," his brows furrowed. "Well. Are you satisfied now? Your plan worked. You wormed your way into an establishment full of noble-born alphas, and then used your body as bait to secure a better life for yourself."

Byleth's eyes snapped wide. "What?!"

Was...was he really implying that she had...

"You heard me plainly," his glare turned dangerous. "I'm well aware of how common it is. Perhaps I can even understand why. However, choosing to do so inside an academy full of students under your protection... I'm disgusted beyond words."

Byleth gasped, horrified at such an accusation. 

Yes, she had heard of some omegas doing this. But she...when she accepted the job, she had _never_ considered... _that_.

"That's a lie," she hissed. "I was on heat suppressants. That's not how...we..."

She trailed off.

...Could she completely blame him for believing that? Even Edelgard was shocked that she hadn't considered the possibility.

In retrospect, it seemed as though she were the only one.

She took a step back, feeling ill all of a sudden.

The woman gave her a sickeningly sweet smile. "Really, my dear Lord Arundel. Why must you say such vicious things sometimes? You're frightening away this lovely girl! I almost wish I could take her home with me..."

She reached her hand out towards Byleth's face, her long, wavy hair framing her bare shoulders and revealing red dress.

Revulsion erupted within her. Who was this woman? She already hated her. She hated her mocking smile and overconfidence. She hated that she was a stranger. 

She wasn't her mate. She wasn't supposed to touch her. 

_Not Edelgard._

She slapped her hand away. 

"Get away from me," she hissed.

The woman let out a dark chuckle. "Oh, my. You're a handful, aren't you! I'm only teasing, dear. See? I'm not some big, bad alpha trying to steal you away."

"It's quite fortunate that you are not, otherwise you wouldn't still be breathing."

The woman's eyes darted over Byleth's shoulder. Byleth swung around. Edelgard was glaring at her with barely concealed hatred, fists clenched tightly.

"My poor niece," Volkhard turned to her, his tone softer. "This is not your fault. Surely you know that. I can arrange for this woman to be...dealt with as soon as possible. You will overcome the residual effects of the bond in time."

"You will do nothing of the sort," Edelgard narrowed a sharp look at him. "Our meeting is over, Uncle. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. You are dismissed."

"So, then, this is the mystery bride... How sweet! But dear, I'm hurt. We've known each other for so long. Why didn't you tell me sooner?" the woman's smile turned nostalgic. "Oh, well... You really have grown up so fast, little princess. Why, it seems only yesterday that you were chasing Dimitri around our castle courtyard. Now, look at you. A fine young alpha, mindlessly following the instincts Sothis gave you. It's so interesting to watch. I'm sure our young prince will be just as interesting."

"Cornelia. I have more than enough to contend with without being forced to listen to your perverse inclinations tonight. As for you," he glared down at Edelgard. "We will speak more of this later."

"You have already said _enough_. I love Byleth. It has nothing to do with her being an omega. She did _not_ entrap me."

Byleth's heart froze. Everything around her, Volkhard, the maid, her oncoming heat cycle, faded into the background.

Did Edelgard really say...what she thought she said?

Volkhard gave her a harsh frown. "Child, you don't know what you're saying. Your pheromones are speaking for you right now. That is all. I was young once too, as hard as it might be to believe. I remember what it was like."

"Goodbye, Uncle."

"...I can only hope that she will not become too much of a distraction to you during our war efforts," he muttered under his breath.

He aimed an odd, calculating look at Byleth before sweeping past them. Cornelia let out a small sigh.

"Well...Byleth, was it? I'm afraid that this is farewell for now," she purred. "As much as you fascinate me, I don't believe you would enjoy the sorts of games I like to play...if my last omega was anything to go by."

Shooting her one last glare, Byleth watched her stride leisurely after Volkhard. 

Edelgard stepped forward, still bristling. 

"Cornelia is the court mage of the royal family of Faerghus," she murmured. "I've known her since I was nine, when I went to stay at the castle. Dimitri and I...became friends for a time."

Her gaze fell. 

Byleth barely registered what she just said. Something about Cornelia's earlier remark made her worried for Dimitri. Although he wasn't in her House, he had still been one of her students. 

Her concerns were quickly buried by what Edelgard said afterwards.

Her chest was pounding.

Edelgard turned to her, seeming to have forgotten it all. "I hope that Lilia didn't wake you. I was certain that you would be starving by now, so I ordered dinner to be prepared for both of us."

Byleth stared back at her, trying to find her voice as she processed what she had just heard.

She...loved her?

They both fell silent as Edelgard led the way into the dining hall, still staring directly ahead of her while a storm of emotions brewed within Byleth. When they reached it, they found their meals already on the table. The servants bowed low as they took their seats before departing.

Byleth could no longer hold herself back from the fine meal laid out in front of her. She was starving, even to the point that it drove out all thoughts of her preheat concerns. 

The awkward silence hovered over them as they ate.

"I'm sorry, Byleth. I didn't realize they were still inside the palace," said Edelgard at last, still staring down at her unfinished plate. "I will not allow him to harm you. You are surrounded by soldiers who will protect you, as well. And if they threaten you again-"

"Why did you tell him that?"

The words flew out of her mouth before she could stop herself. 

Edelgard blinked at her. Nervousness shown clearly in her eyes. She knew exactly what Byleth was referring to. 

She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"Did you think I was lying?" Edelgard replied in a quiet voice. "I thought it would be pitifully obvious by now."

Byleth's heart stuck in her throat. Hundreds of different thoughts and responses ran in circles around her head, none solid enough to speak out loud.

"I...I realized during the Millennium Festival, I think. When I was dancing with that boy," Edelgard whispered. 

Byleth remembered. She remembered Edelgard's cool, polite half-smile as she went through the motions with a tall, timid-looking brunette with a page haircut, all the while glancing over to where Byleth and the rest of the faculty stood at every given opportunity.

She didn't give much thought to what it might mean back then. They were so busy, and so many other things were happening so fast, that she had buried the memory until now.

"I'm afraid that I wasn't focused on him at all," she continued, her voice taking on a desperate edge. "My mind was solely on you the entire time. Even afterwards, I couldn't stop thinking-"

"Stop," Byleth barked. "J-just stop it."

Edelgard recoiled as if she had just slapped her.

No. She couldn't listen to this. She just couldn't. 

All of the conflict brewing within earlier resurfaced with a vengeance. The dull, constant background hum of their mating bond didn't help matters.

Neither did the heat rising to her cheeks as what Edelgard was telling her finally began to sink in. The wrong kind of heat. She should have been furious. Not feeling butterflies.

"You're really telling me this after everything that's happened? After forcing a mating bond on me? After treating me like I'm helpless for the past two weeks? And then, having the nerve to tell me that I'm free to leave?"

Edelgard's eyes went wide. "I..."

"What a joke," Byleth laughed bitterly. "You honestly believe that I can just walk this off? What you said before was true. It doesn't matter how far I run or if I ever found anyone else. You'll always be in there, somewhere. Just like right now. I'll never be free from you!"

A slight sheen came over Edelgard's eyes. She opened her mouth to argue. Nothing came out. 

The Emperor she was shouting blind rage at had vanished. For the first time since she had nearly been killed in Remire Village, she looked vulnerable. Helpless.

At that moment, the uncomfortable truth hit Byleth like a ton of bricks.

Her fury melted away. A sinking feeling in her stomach had replaced it.

"Your uncle is right."

Edelgard's eyebrows furrowed. "No, he _isn't._ That's-" 

"Maybe it _was_ irresponsible of me. I didn't even think about what could happen if there were no suppressant dealers close by, or if I ended up buying bad herbs, or if...if they failed," she took a deep breath. "I was your professor. I should have been more careful. I'm the reason we're in this situation."

She pushed her seat back and stood up.

"You don't love me, El. You're only struggling with the effects of a bond you didn't choose. Just like I am."

She turned heel and drifted out of the dining room before Edelgard had the chance to tear down the walls she had just rebuilt. 

Or worse, repeat those three words.

* * *

Byleth heaved out a sigh, closing her bedroom door behind her before leaning against it. The dining room scene played over and over again in her head. Tears stung the corners of her eyes.

She wasn't sure what exactly she was running away from. Edelgard's feelings, or her own.

Light whispering and gasping could be heard from the other side. She held back a groan, raising a hand to wipe at her face. By now, most of the servants had witnessed them fighting more than once, or had at least heard about it. Not that she cared. It was none of their business.

She wished it wasn't her business, either.

Her eyes darted towards her bed. It was perfectly made up. The extra pillows and blankets she had surrounded herself with were gone.

It was ruined.

Byleth had never felt more annoyed over something so pointless.

With a frustrated sigh, she charged towards the storage closet once more. Everything was stacked in it's original place. She pulled them all out again and prepared to start over.

No longer thinking about the implications, she let herself get lost in rearranging them around the mattress and the strange sense of calm it brought her. 

This was _not_ for Edelgard. This was for herself alone. That's what she kept telling herself as she reached over to smooth them out.

There. Everything was back the way it was. A wild, circular mess of blankets and pillows that would no doubt exasperate the next maid who was assigned to this wing of the palace tomorrow.

She curled up on top of it.

Grabbing a nearby pillow, she held it tightly to her stomach. It was one of the few that still carried the faint scent of Edelgard. She hadn't noticed before.

 _"Hah..."_ she let out a heavy, contented sigh.

She felt so safe and protected right now...

The door opened. Byleth's head shot up irritably.

Edelgard peeked in through the crack. Both the first and last person she wanted to see.

"I-I wished to tell you good night," she whispered.

Byleth glanced away, shifting to her side. "Good night."

"I'm sorry."

Byleth's head turned back to her, briefly stunned into silence.

She slowly made her way towards the bed. A melancholy expression came over her face as she sat down beside her. 

"I have not been the best alpha to you," she murmured, staring fixedly at her lap. "I'm certain that it must be frustrating, having one who is five years younger than you. There must be quite a few things that I don't understand or notice, and I have doubtless made plenty of mistakes...including this one. Byleth, it was never your fault. I was the one who lost control of myself."

Another long pause fell over them.

Byleth didn't know what to say to this. It was even more unbelievable than their latest fight over dinner.

Was there anything _to_ say?

Her words felt strange to her. She didn't quite forgive her. Not all the way. But...it stirred something within her that dissolved her anger, if only a little bit.

She nodded quietly, breathing out a heavy sigh into the pillow. Her expression softened.

The spark of relief shone in Edelgard's eyes. Her shoulders relaxed. Byleth continued to lie there quietly, letting the alpha's scent wash over her. Overpower her.

Nothing else mattered...

Edelgard's eyes traveled across the bed. For a moment, she seemed puzzled. It gave Byleth an inexplicable rush of pride, watching her alpha survey her hard work like this.

A look of recognition dawned on Edelgard's face, followed by faint alarm.

"It would be very unusual this early, but the physician did say..." she trailed off, her expression distant. "I will call on him first thing in the morning."

"Hm..." Byleth blinked up at her, feeling hazy all of a sudden.

"You're going to be fine, Byleth. He will take good care of you."

She slowly began to push herself off the bed.

The meaning behind her words finally registered to Byleth.

Her alpha was going away. She was leaving her here. And that irritating man was going to replace her.

Something inside her snapped.

"I don't _want_ him."

Edelgard's eyes narrowed, full of confusion. "Why? What do you mean?"

"They can't help me. These clerics and physicians are useless. That's all they say. _'You're going to be fine.'_ As if they have the faintest idea of what I'm going through... I'm so sick of them..."

Her words were blending together. It was becoming difficult to focus on anything aside from the fact that an alpha - HER alpha - was in her newly made nest.

Wasn't something else supposed to happen?

"That's simply not true," Edelgard's frown deepened. "I did not mean to upset you, truly. I will leave you in peace. Good night..."

Before she could take another step, Byleth's hands snapped around her arms, pulling her back. The pillow fell to the floor. She was now pinned beneath it's replacement, who stared down at her in wide-eyed shock.

"I don't want anybody else..."

A wary look came over Edelgard's features. "I will only be a moment."

"You're the only one who can help me," Byleth groaned in frustration. " _You_ did this. Why won't you take responsibility..."

Edelgard swallowed. Her pale violet gaze faltered.

Something about this conversation was far too familiar for comfort. But with her weight pressing down so firmly on her, Byleth found it difficult to remember why.

"I can't," Edelgard whispered. "Tomorrow...if w-we do this now..."

She let out a tiny yelp as Byleth's arms snaked around her waist and pulled her against her chest. She buried her head into the side of Edelgard's neck, breathing in her scent. The one thing that had been missing. 

_This_ was what she needed. Not that stupid old cleric.

The girl on top of her abruptly stopped moving. Her body went rigid.

Byleth's mind shut down. Her dress clung to her skin from the sweat. Familiar heat surged through her abdomen, eliciting a shudder from the omega as her breath started to come out in low, ragged pants. Slick slowly began to pool around her thighs. 

She was burning up all over...

No longer thinking straight, and desperate for any kind of friction, she instinctively arched up to meet Edelgard's body.

Edelgard's breath hitched. Her fingers dug into the sheets beneath them, her self-control rapidly ebbing away. Her layered red gown served as an infuriating barrier to what Byleth was looking for. With a frustrated whine, she rolled her hips against Edelgard's again. This time, she was met with a bulge underneath.

"Byleth..." she moaned softly.

Byleth made no reply. Her arms tightened around Edelgard as she bucked against the steadily growing length beneath her dress a third time.

With a shaky gasp, Edelgard attempted to push herself upright. Away from Byleth's bond mark, where her scent glands were the most intoxicating. Even with her collar suppressing it, it was still too much for her to resist.

She had to get out of here _now_. She had to...

Her eyes traveled over Byleth's body, and her emerald green hair splayed out around the sheets underneath them. Her white dress was so soaked through that there was little left to the imagination. Her breasts, noticeably larger than Edelgard's, were now clearly visible through the sheer fabric. A thick sheen of sweat coated her smooth, toned skin.

The sensation of unsheathing into the soaked undergarments being pressed against her groin, and the scent of slick hanging heavy in the air as she panted underneath her, rapidly eroded what was left of her willpower.

She leaned down, covering Byleth's body with her own once more. In her pre-rut haze, she felt content to let Byleth continue grinding against her now fully erect member at an agonizingly slow pace as she resumed nuzzling her neck. Byleth whimpered at her touch, eagerly waiting for her to finish what she started back in the Holy Tomb.

The alpha's hot breath grazed Byleth's skin as she pressed her lips along her jawline, steadily moving lower. She emitted a low growl when her teeth met the thick material of her collar. Then Byleth felt slender fingers brush along the back of it. 

The unfastened collar fell away. Cool air hit her neck, just before Edelgard ran her tongue over the mark that tied them together forever.

If she wasn't already in heat by now, this would surely trigger it. 

Would it be as strong as her last one, Edelgard wondered? Would she lie there panting and crying out for Edelgard again? Would she writhe underneath her for days on end while she filled her with her seed, with her heirs...

... 

Edelgard's eyes shot open.

"Ah...!" 

She untangled herself from Byleth's limbs, scrambling backwards to the other side of the bed. Her chest heaved as her eyes bored into Byleth's, disoriented and full of lust. Byleth fixed her with a blank, dazed stare.

"Tomorrow...the battle..."

She jumped to her feet, smoothing out her ruined dress. Her face was flushed. Beads of sweat ran down her forehead.

"I'm sorry, but...no, never mind. Good night, Byleth."

She hurried towards the door and practically slammed it shut behind her. 

Byleth was alone. The alpha's scent gradually faded in the air. Some of it remained on the sheets and in her dress.

She wasn't sure what just happened, or why she was covered in sweat and the faint scent of rut. The insides of her thighs were warm and sticky.

Her gaze drifted down to the collar lying beside her. It must have come off at some point.

Wasn't Edelgard here a second ago? They were talking about the physician, and then...

The heat rushing through her body gradually began to subside. Bits and pieces of Edelgard's heated stare as Byleth pulled her close started to come back to her.

She shook her head.

In her dazed stupor, all she could focus on was the fact that she was completely exhausted.

With a low whine, she let herself fall back onto the mattress, entering a fitful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, it's been a while since I've written one of these scenes. Sorry 'bout it.


	8. Chapter 8

"The Church of Seiros has misused it's creed to fulfill it's true desire - to rule the world."

An uncountable number of imperial soldiers fell silent as Edelgard's voice rang out over the palace grounds. Byleth stood a short distance away, listening with mixed emotions to her formal war declaration from a nearby balcony. She could spot Caspar's blue hair in the massive crowd below, a few rows behind General Ladislava and another high-ranking officer. Hubert stood a few paces away from them, his hands folded behind his back while focusing intently on her.

"Long ago, they divided the Empire to create the Kingdom of Faerghus, and then divided that kingdom to create the Leicester Alliance," said Edelgard. "The true purpose of this was to make the masses bicker among themselves. While Fodlan was forced into a state of instability, they took advantage of the situation in order to enforce their own authority and live in extravagance. How did they accomplish this? By preying on the devotion of those seeking the goddess's salvation."

A few soldiers murmured uneasily among themselves, with some nodding in approval.

"These corrupt hypocrites will lead Fodlan to ruin. Their foul belief system must be torn asunder so that true wisdom may finally prevail!" Edelgard raised her axe into the air. "And so, by order of the Adrestian Emperor, Edelgard von Hresvelg, the Empire hereby declares war on the Church of Seiros!"

Cheers erupted from the soldiers as they raised their weapons in unison. They parted for Edelgard as she descended the stairs and headed towards the open gates, her red cape drifting along the light breeze behind her. One of the captains approached her, and they stood together at the gates. The captain waved his hand out towards the city, and Edelgard nodded.

She glanced up at Byleth, the hard look in her eyes fading. Byleth swallowed. Apprehension rose up from the pit of her stomach.

Then she set off through the gates, a sea of red and silver armor marching after her.

Rhea was no doubt prepared for them this time. But with the sheer number of soldiers and wyvern riders following Edelgard, and with the much larger number of mages and clerics backing them up this time around, it might not even matter. 

Knowing her, she would probably fight on the front lines like she had in the previous attack. She would probably face Rhea head-on just like she claimed she would, rushing directly into her long white claws and white-hot breath. She was skilled enough wielding both an axe and a sword, but how much was that worth if Rhea really was one of the Nabateans?

Byleth might not see her again.

Exhaling softly, she tore her gaze away from the palace gates.

It all came back to her. The nesting, the talk, and, of course, shamelessly throwing herself at Edelgard right after pushing her away.

She raised a hand to her mouth. Her face was burning up.

They came this close to having sex last night. This close. Her collar was lying on the floor when she woke up. Edelgard's scent on the sheets carried clear traces of an alpha on the verge of rut. It was truly a wonder that she herself wasn't in heat right now. 

Byleth wasn't even beating herself up over it anymore. She kept playing it over and over again in her head. She kept envisioning what might have happened if Edelgard hadn't stopped pushing up the hem of her dress. In spite of herself, it was actually a pleasant memory.

Her fingers moved down to her bond mark...

"Professor...?"

Byleth looked up sharply, only to find herself face-to-face with Ferdinand. The redhead had traded his school uniform for the prime minister's red and black attire. She had to admit, he wore it much better than Duke Aegir did.

He broke into a cautious smile. "Or, I suppose that would be 'queen consort' now. I must say, it's good to finally have the chance to speak to you again."

"You too, Ferdinand," Byleth's lips curved up into a smile of her own. "But...why aren't you with the rest of the army?"

He winced. "I'm sure you are aware that I have only just replaced my father as Prime Minister. As such, I have my own kind of battles to fight this week, behind a desk. But if Edelgard fails to take Garreg Mach, I could end up on the battlefield myself rather soon."

The smile on Byleth's face died. She turned away from him and leaned against the balcony rails.

"She's actually doing this," she whispered.

"We all still feel some attachment to the monastery," his gaze lowered. "It became my home away from home. For Dorothea and many others I'm sure, it _was_ their home. This is quite painful for me, too."

"Then why did you come back?"

Ferdinand paused. He studied her for a moment, considering his next words.

"It's an odd thing for me to say, isn't it? I admit, it's difficult to not resent the disparity between myself and Edelgard. How it used to infuriate me that she was always moving forward, never once wavering, while I floundered behind in every way," he gave her a wry smile. "But in spite of that...after taking the time to consider her words and cause, I must agree that this is the best way forward for Fodlan."

Byleth shook her head, a wave of sadness overtaking her. "I don't want the other students to die."

"Nor do I... But Byleth, didn't you have to make difficult choices as a mercenary, as well? As a professor?"

His question caught her off-guard. She hesitated.

"...Sometimes. But it wasn't the same."

"As my father used to tell me, war is not always black and white either. Each choice made comes at a cost."

"He would know, wouldn't he?" replied Byleth.

Ferdinand frowned. "Yes. It pleases me greatly that he is finally out of office. I just hope that he will not cause too much trouble for me in the meantime."

They both paused as a soldier rushed up to Ferdinand and saluted. "Her Majesty wanted me to inform you that a report from Arundel just came in this morning. She hopes you'll handle it in her place."

"I see... It must be from Dorothea," Ferdinand frowned, then gave him a short nod. "Thank you very much. You're dismissed."

The soldier gave another salute and hurried away. Byleth watched him tear towards the direction of the guard towers.

"Oh! That reminds me of the other reason I sought you out!" Ferdinand gasped. "Edelgard told me that you weren't feeling your best, so she asked me to contact the royal physicians in her place. I will see to the matter right away. Forgive me, Byleth. I hope I haven't been tiring you!"

Byleth wanted to roll her eyes. "No, of course not. But I don't feel like I need another checkup so soon after the last one."

 _Anymore,_ she thought to herself. At the nesting phase, that was probably that. Her heat was right around the corner. The most they could do at this point was tell her what she already knew.

He frowned. "You must look after your health! Especially while recovering from that cheap garbage I was told you were poisoning yourself with. Oh, and some of these illegal dealers will even try to pass off heat-triggering herbs as suppressants. So they can find the omegas later and sell them off, I suppose."

Byleth's eyebrows rose. She hadn't considered that outcome back then.

"That's why you should _only_ buy suppressants from Empire-approved physicians! Anyway... please remember from now on."

Her temper lost it's edge. "I'll remember. Thank you anyway, Ferdinand."

He bid her farewell and headed into the palace on whatever business he still had there. She stared at the doors as they slammed shut behind him, quietly running through her thoughts.

Although she still felt lethargic, she didn't want to go back inside just yet.

Adjusting her overcoat, she stepped down into the palace grounds. The patrolling guards took no notice of her as she began to leisurely follow the side path, glancing around at the architecture and fenced in trees that were now turning shades of orange and red.

Roars and screeches erupted in the distance. She looked up. Mounted wyverns took off into the sky, making circles over the city before heading in a straight line across the horizon.

 _See you, Stormy,_ Byleth thought dryly. She felt sorry for whoever her rider was this time.

She made another turn around the white, gold-domed Imperial Palace, crossing a courtyard and heading under a bridge to the outer walls. Soon her path was surrounded by tall hedges.

It eventually opened up into the gardens. They were certainly impressive. Statues lined the hedge walls towering over her. There was a fountain and a few tables arranged around it in the clearing ahead.

As she approached, she then noticed a woman sitting in one of the tables off to the corner.

The woman looked up in surprise. She appeared to be middle-aged, somewhere in her late 40s to early 50s, with long, graying brown hair pulled up in a bun. But that's not what caught Byleth's attention first. 

She was wearing the same type of clothes and collar that she was. A mildly sweet scent came off of her, not as strong as her own.

Another omega.

"I..." Byleth suddenly felt apprehensive. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

The older woman relaxed. "Nonsense, child. I was getting bored before you came along." She waved her hand. "Sit down. Keep me company for a while."

After a few seconds hesitation, Byleth obeyed, taking a seat in the opposite chair. She watched the other woman with a growing, almost eager curiosity. She had only met a small handful of other omegas in her life, and she never got the chance to speak to them at length.

The woman rested her head on her hands and leaned in slightly. "I was wondering when we would run into each other. You're the girl Edelgard dragged home from school. A commoner too, as the gossip goes. Your name is Byleth, isn't it?"

Well, that was one way to put it.

"Um, yes," she replied. She wasn't even sure where to start with how her former student ended up as her mate. After experiencing Lord Volkhard's less-than-thrilled reaction, she was now hesitant to go into all the details with someone she didn't know, omega or not.

As for her, Byleth could already make an educated guess as to who she was by the casual tone she used when speaking about Edelgard.

"...Are you Lord Ionius's consort?"

The woman shrugged. "I suppose. We so seldom have anything to do with each other that I sometimes forget," she said softly. "He was a strong Emperor and a good alpha, up until a point. He is a shadow of that man now."

Byleth's head tilted with interest. "Edelgard doesn't talk about her father very often."

"I hardly think she would. He failed to protect them from those monsters she's invited back into our home, after all," the woman muttered. "If you wish to know more about him, you will have to ask her yourself."

Byleth frowned, studying her. She just reminded her of a question she had always wondered about, but never found the right opportunity to ask.

"Did...did any of her brothers and sisters survive?"

There was a long pause. Bitterness entered the woman's gray eyes.

"Some."

Byleth's gaze fell. "Oh..."

An uneasy quiet fell over the gardens. 

She was filled with pity for the poor woman, and again, even Edelgard. Especially since she had lost Jeralt to those people, too. She hoped she would never have to run into them here. More than that, it still bewildered her that Edelgard still chose to ally with them in spite of having an already formidable army to fall back on.

With the silence between them growing longer, she was about to come up with a polite excuse to leave her in peace when the woman continued.

"I shouldn't be so surprised that she ended up bonding with someone like you," the woman stopped herself, her frown returning. "A hidden omega surrounded by alphas... I know exactly what happened. Your body will eventually react to so many alphas in one place, particularly if you're still unmated. You did realize that, didn't you?"

Byleth glanced back up at her, eyes narrowing in confusion.

"And then, she came to your rescue. Just like she fancies that she's going to Fodlan's. Someone like you _would_ fit her tastes."

"I..." Byleth trailed off, thoroughly taken back by this remark. The bitterness had crept back into the woman's voice, putting Byleth on the defensive. The jab was aimed at Edelgard, but it also felt aimed at her to a lesser extent.

Her hopes of connecting with this woman were quickly fading away. Maybe it was unrealistic of her to expect anything else from the rest of the nobility.

Then the other woman pulled something out of her pocket. She held her hand out to Byleth.

"These aren't suppressants, but they will help lessen the more painful preheat symptoms," she said. "Which the whole palace can smell on you as plain as day. I don't need them so much anymore."

Shooting one last puzzled look at her, Byleth reached over and took them.

"Thank you..." she replied softly.

Something caught her peripheral vision, cutting the uncomfortable encounter short. Ferdinand was approaching them from across the side path. He waved cheerfully when she noticed him.

"There you are, Byleth!" he beamed. "I was fortunate enough to get in touch with the physicians during a free moment. They're waiting for you upstairs."

She held back an annoyed groan.

"Oh. Hello, Alana," he greeted the older omega. "I remember you. It's good to see you again."

"What? Oh, Duke Aegir's son..." she replied, recognizing him after a few seconds.

Ferdinand put a hand on his hip. "Shall we get going, then? There's something else I must discuss with you, but in private."

This caught Byleth's interest. "Okay."

With a small 'hm', the other omega turned her back to them as she followed him back into the palace. When they were alone in the corridor, Ferdinand gave her the kind of serious frown that instantly made her uncomfortable.

"Now that you have a bond, there's something else you should know about crests."


	9. Chapter 9

"They are aware of our position, Your Majesty," said Hubert.

Edelgard stood up. Light from the sunset leaked into the tent after the guards stationed outside departed, briefly giving her white hair a platinum hue. She still wasn't used to wearing them in these tight buns, but it was more practical.

Hubert's frown became grim. "Our scout reported a much greater number of knights waiting for us at Garreg Mach's base than we predicted. It appears that they brought in reserves from Faerghus. However, their numbers still don't match up to our own."

"I see," she murmured. 

She expected this. The Kingdom had the closest relationship to the church out of the three provinces. It was almost a given that they would come to their aid - and to Dimitri's - if summoned.

Unwelcome childhood memories resurfaced. She immediately suppressed them. She couldn't afford to think about that now. 

"We will move forward as planned," she replied. "I doubt Faerghus would exhaust their entire military on this battle. Even if they did, they will not be able to withstand our forces."

She almost wished that she was only referring to their mages and riders.

Hubert bowed low. "Very well."

She stepped past Hubert, pushing the tent sheets aside. He followed her out and stood behind her, holding his hands behind his back.

A mass of soldiers and tents surrounded her own. The thick swarm of scents permeating the camp were primarily beta, with rarer traces of other alphas here and there. The wyverns tied up outside the camp leered over at her with their slit-like pupils, and her eyes narrowed with distrust. She had always disliked those creatures, more so now after Byleth's narrow escape from one the other day. 

Caspar, Lindhardt, and Bernadetta sat together at a campfire nearby, making up the start of her Black Eagles Strike Force along with Hubert, Dorothea and Ferdinand. While she regretted not having Ferdinand at her side in this battle, she didn't feel comfortable leaving Byleth alone without a trusted alpha around in her place. The suppressants he informed her that he was taking eliminated the fear of him losing control around her.

She joined them.

"This is where we all met," she said in a lower voice. "Of course, this is personal, too."

Caspar frowned. "Y-yeah."

"I have no intention of yielding to our former classmates," replied Edelgard. As much as her own words pained her, she managed to keep her voice even. "I ask that you prepare yourselves for anything they might do."

"Damn it, Edelgard. Don't say things like that right now! You're lowering our morale before we even get started!" Caspar lowered his head in dismay.

"It's not easy to prepare for such a thing," said Lindhardt.

"How _can_ you for something like this...?" Bernadetta interjected, jutting out her lower lip.

Caspar placed a fist on his hip. "Yeah, all this talking doesn't help. I'm ready. Let's get this over with!"

The other two agreed.

"Thank you all," Edelgard replied softly. Well, that was something, at least. "But first, we must talk strategy-"

She stopped as General Ladislava approached her, flanked by two other soldiers.

"Your Majesty, Thales wants to speak to you," she told her.

Her captain's stern expression faltered. Edelgard maintained her cool demeanor. In reality, she felt more distaste for the man than anyone. She eagerly awaited the day when she could afford to arrange his death.

"I see. Lead me to him," Edelgard replied. She turned to her former classmates. "I will return in a few minutes."

She left them staring after her and made their way through the din of soldiers, talking and laughing around their tents and campfires as though they were on a field trip rather than a battle that would claim many of their lives. A hushed silence fell over them while Edelgard passed.

She gave Ladislava an inquisitive look when they passed Thales' tent and headed further into the woods. She knew exactly where they were headed. Why was the question.

It didn't take long for them to reach the clearing. Ladislava pushed back the brush before standing aside, and Edelgard was greeted to the sight of grotesque, four-legged beasts with golden armor strapped to their bodies. They rested with their front clawed hands folded in front of them, taking little notice of her. One of them raised it's head. The red material draping from the bottom of it's mask resembled a beard.

Once, they were prisoners. Now, they would repay their debt to Adrestia by serving them in battle for the rest of their lives.

Thales stood in the clearing with a lone soldier. The fear in his eyes was evident, but he remained where he was, straight-backed and resolute.

"Yes, Thales?" Edelgard demanded.

The pale man fixed her with a white-eyed stare. "It seems this young man wants a promotion."

He waved his hand out to the demonic beasts scattered around the clearing.

Edelgard's eyes widened. It was very rare for one of their soldiers to willingly volunteer for...this. They were throwing their lives away for a fate worse than death. It never ceased to shock her on the occasions it did happen.

She gave the soldier a mystified frown. "Do you understand what you are asking for?"

"Y-yes," he replied, but he couldn't hide the quaver in his voice. "My family fell ill last year, and...I don't have any relatives left. No friends. All that's left for me is the army, and...I want to be stronger."

"What a noble thing to do for the Empire," Thales remarked. "I'm sure Her Majesty would agree."

Edelgard ignored him. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the man. If she were to ever lose Byleth, she was certain that there would be no end to her grief. Or her fury. 

"It's a surgical procedure," she told him. "It will have to wait until we return to Enbarr."

Dark cells and her sibling's screams echoed through her memories. Sharp, burning pain paralyzed her as her skin was sliced open.

Her mouth set into a tight frown, forcing those thoughts back into the void.

"Please," the guard begged. "I have made up my mind. I want to face the Archbishop, with all the others here."

She stiffened. 

The Archbishop...

Her blood boiled at the memory of that woman. An inhuman monster who not only sat back and did nothing about what happened to herself and countless others as a child, but had tried to take her mate away. She had no regard whatsoever for human life.

She wanted nothing more than to launch her sword straight into her scaled chest. She was the only person in the monastery that she truly wanted to kill.

Alas, she couldn't. Not yet.

Nor could she turn down an offer that might help her win this war.

"If you survive, you shall receive your crest when we return home," said Edelgard.

The soldier swallowed, then nodded slowly. "T-thank you, Your Majesty."

"If that is all, then start preparing them. We are about to leave," she snapped at Thales. It was hard to believe that he had interrupted her in the middle of an important strategic discussion for _this.  
_

He smiled at her. "No, it is not."

His gaze moved behind her. She turned around. Her path was barred when another demonic beast stood up on it's hind legs, tilting it's masked head at her. It growled.

"Might I introduce you to Rina?" he waved out his hand in a sweeping gesture. "Once a bandit leader who robbed merchants on the highway to Arundel, now a valuable addition to the imperial army. A demonic beast that was formerly an alpha could be a very useful asset."

The massive creature growled again, landing on all fours with a thud that shook the ground. Edelgard's hand instinctively flew to her sword hilt. She took a step back.

"Have you done this before?" she whispered to Thales.

"Yes. However, this is the first result that I would consider successful," he told her. "She killed the one beast that challenged her within a minute. The others rallied around her immediately. My only complaint is that she is somewhat more difficult to control. Nevertheless, I find her polite behavior right now very promising. What are your thoughts, Your Majesty?"

He watched in satisfaction as the beast paced around the clearing, it's tail lashing to and fro. It didn't seem under control at all, as far as Edelgard was concerned. Her presence was obviously agitating it.

"You should have informed me of this earlier. It was far too much of a risk."

"This battle comes with great risks, too," he replied. "I think it was justified for this battle."

"Even so, you are not to make such a decision again without my approval," she narrowed her gaze at him. "If you fail to keep it under control at Garreg Mach, you will be removed from your position in my military. Do I make myself clear?"

Unimpressed, Thales gave her a short bow. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Edelgard swung around and made for the camp. She kept her hand near her weapon as a precaution, since the creature was still growling in her direction. But it remained where it was, it's gaze steadily following her until she disappeared behind the brush. Ladislava and the other guards had already left.

She breathed out a heavy sigh as soon as she was a safe distance away.

If that was it's reaction to her, even while subdued by Thales' magic, she dreaded to think of how it would have reacted to Byleth on the verge of heat. Or any other omega, when it came down to it. She hoped against hope that none would be present near the town gates.

No, they would not be permitted to do this again. Demonic beasts that used to be betas were already dangerous enough. This was a disaster waiting to happen.

Hubert met her as she neared the edge of camp.

"I have informed the others of our strategy," he said. "They understand that we will be attacking the monastery from the side entrance in order to draw away the Knights of Seiros, while the main army moves through the surrounding areas."

"Thank you, Hubert," she stepped past him, glancing over the innumerable amount of soldiers before them. "Prepare them. I am about to announce our departure."

* * *

Rhea's inhuman roar thundered across the field as imperial soldiers flooded into Garreg Mach. Bright balls of energy were launched at the monastery as wyverns tore across the sky overhead. The ground shook as their demonic beasts stampeded across the field towards the great white dragon swooping down to face them. Edelgard watched from a distance as a beam of white light erupted from her mouth. Soldiers began to scream.

So she had reverted to her monstrous real form, after all. How Edelgard longed to be facing her right now, in spite of being forced to admit that her odds of winning in such a one-on-one fight would be poor.

As planned, she led the other Black Eagles into the monastery grounds through the closest wall. The sun was setting fast, and with the torches put out, it became more difficult for them to see the way ahead. But they couldn't afford to light a torch if they wanted to remain unnoticed.

They were in an empty courtyard. Memories of training there bombarded her. Sometimes under Alois, sometimes Shamir or Manuela. Most often with her dear teacher. 

She was so quiet and mysterious back then, never saying more than was necessary. It used to frustrate her, how difficult she was to read. Until Kronya murdered Jeralt, which had caused such a rift between them since. Then the emotions she was holding inside came pouring out, captivating Edelgard even more. She was one of the rare people who could meet her eyes without flinching. A brilliant light who drove away her loneliness.

She fought back a blush.

"Class is back in session," Caspar whispered half to himself.

"Quiet," Hubert snapped.

Caspar went on ahead of them, his armored boots ringing too loudly against the hard ground. The spear rack some of them used to practice with was still there. He picked one of them up.

"Remember when they put us all on a pegasus out here?" his lips curved up in a mischievous smile. "You fell off before he even made it off the ground. You were covered in mud."

"I remember no such thing," Edelgard shot him a glare for the reminder. "And you will tell no one else this ridiculous story."

Caspar covered his mouth, holding back a quiet chuckle. Edelgard watched him irritably as he placed it back on the rack. In any other situation, she would have simply shrugged off his carelessness. As things were, he was making far too much noise to her liking.

"Let's move on," she replied quietly. A feeling of dread came over her.

Caspar turned around. His face contorted in alarm.

"Hey!" he cried.

Edelgard dodged just in time for Catherine's sword to fly through the air above her head. Caspar rushed towards her, but was then engaged by Alois and Shamir darting out from the shadows. Bernadetta gasped, drawing her bow at Alois. She heard Hubert swear. 

"What's this? You're missing a few of your friends," Catherine hissed.

"So are you," Edelgard's own sword flashed out and met hers with a metallic crash. She swung again with everything she had. This time, Catherine staggered backwards in surprise. "I should hope that you three aren't the only knights left guarding the monastery. You have severely underestimated us if that is the case."

"We're more than enough to crush you," Catherine replied. "I always thought that girl was trouble, and I was proven right. But by the goddess, she didn't deserve whatever your soldiers did to her. I won't let you live after what you've done."

She launched herself at Edelgard, and their swords met again. She barely had time to catch her breath before deflecting the flurry of blows aimed at her, let alone say something back. 

It was clear that the other alpha wouldn't listen to any explanations coming from her. As each struggled to retake the offensive, she realized that this would be yet another death match.

Fighting Catherine was a very different experience than fighting Metodey. He had been distracted and enraged from being interrupted with an omega, and the thick scent of Byleth's pheromones hanging in the air had made it difficult for both of them to focus. Metodey had been affected much worse than her, of course. Now...if her last encounter with that scent was anything to go by, she wasn't sure if she could keep her head in that situation any better than he did.

There were no such distractions here. This time, it was a fair fight between two fully presented alphas. Only this time, they were fighting over the fate of Fodlan rather than an omega.

Catherine landed a terrible blow that came very close to knocking Edelgard off her feet. Quickly steadying herself, she threw herself forward with renewed fury. Her previous sparring match with Byleth suddenly came to mind. She darted in and swung her sword at the same angle that had nearly unbalanced her then.

Catherine met it with a practiced ease. As if she had expected it, even. Edelgard was flung to the ground beside her.

She raised her head in dismay. Catherine pulled her sword back for the final blow.

An arrow hit her from the side, embedding itself into her unprotected armpit.

The blond collapsed to her knees with a groan.

Edelgard swung her head in the direction it came from. Petra stood near the side entrance, gripping her bow tightly. Her eyes were wide and frightened.

"I-I have been wanting to speak to you..." she managed to get out.

Hubert rushed to Edelgard's side.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," he mumbled. "I should have never let myself become distracted. I am at fault."

Panting softly, Edelgard grabbed her sword and stood back up. Alois and Shamir laid motionless on the ground beside the others.

She stared down at Catherine.

"I did not let any harm come to Byleth," she said between labored breaths. "Nor did I wish to kill the rest of you. But I will let nothing stand in the way of Fodlan's new dawn."

"You're mad," Catherine choked. A red line trickled down her mouth.

Edelgard raised her blade, and with a swift flash of steel, she put Catherine out of her misery. Her armored body collapsed beside her head, blood pooling from where they used to be attached.

"Goodbye, Catherine," said Edelgard, and she meant it. She had always admired the woman. It was nothing but a shame that things ended this way.

Petra stepped towards them, slow and hesitant. Edelgard gave her a wary look. After catching her breath, she said, "Why didn't you answer my letter?"

"Because," Petra looked uneasy. "I was thinking that what Lady Catherine said might be true."

Edelgard shut her eyes for a second, exasperated. "Of course not. Byleth left the monastery with us. I did not let the other soldiers touch her. She is now my queen consort and under the protection of the Empire."

Petra blinked at her, startled by this news. She stared at her boots.

"You and the Professor?" she tilted her head. "But...I am glad about the rest. My mind is being made up. I am the heir of Brigid. I have duties there that I must be fulfilling. One of those, I think, is improving our relationship with Fodlan in future times. And knowing that nothing so bad happened after all helps me decide that I am making the right choice."

Edelgard's demeanor softened. "Thank you, Petra."

"I miss my friends," Petra whispered. "And Dimitri... he is not the same. Sometimes he yells to himself when no one is around. He is scaring me."

Edelgard's heart sank. "Where is he now?"

A loud explosion from behind caused them all to jump. Flames erupted from the upper floor windows of the monastery, lighting up the courtyard. Imperial soldiers flooded through the building while wyverns tore across the sky overhead. 

One of the captains noticed them. He broke away from the others and ran towards Edelgard.

"We've taken the front, Your Majesty!" he exclaimed. "Faerghus's side is falling back! We've as good as won, as far as I can see!"

"What about the Archbishop?" Edelgard demanded. "And Dimitri?"

His enthusiasm faded. "The demonic beasts had the Archbishop cornered, but she escaped. She disappeared shortly after that. The Prince is nowhere to be seen, either..."

Rage slowly built up within Edelgard. Not so much towards Dimitri - a small part of her still hoped that she could make him see reason - but towards Rhea. It was _her_ that she wanted to face the most in this battle. It was _her_ blood that she wanted to see, not Catherine's. She had wanted to end her influence over Fodlan with her own hands.

Now, she may have escaped a second time.

"Taking Garreg Mach is our first priority," she ordered. "We have no choice. Everything else must wait."

The captain bowed, then rejoined his fellow troops inside.

Lindhardt placed a hand on Edelgard's arm. His fingers lit up, and Edelgard felt a cool, pleasant feeling travel through her body. Her bruised side stopped throbbing.

"Thank you," she said, addressing the others as much as him.

"Promise that you will stop pestering me about my research, and I shall call us even," he muttered, sounding even more exhausted than usual.

"What are your next orders?" Hubert asked, looking over at her while Lindhardt moved on to him.

Edelgard collected herself. 

"We shall hunt down the remaining Knights," she muttered. "We can't afford to chase Rhea yet."

She also couldn't afford to stay away from the palace for such a long period. Not with Byleth so close to her next heat that she was nesting. Even if her feelings remained unrequited, every instinct she had revolted at the thought of leaving Byleth alone during such a vulnerable time.

Her thoughts were interrupted by another loud crash. A wall nearby had collapsed in.

She caught a hint of gold glinting through the corridor inside the newly made hole. Huge clawed hands padded forward. The masked creature peered around the space it had found itself in, snuffing the air.

Alarm rose within her.

"W-we should move..." Bernadetta whispered.

Edelgard wasted no time heading into the opposite hall after the rest of the soldiers. The others wasted no time following as the demonic beast slowly squeezed through the hole and into the courtyard.

Edelgard turned to find it still watching them through the doorway, it's tail twitching. She stared it down, her hand hovering over her sword hilt in case it decided to pursue them. She remembered fighting Miklan, preparing herself for a similar encounter here.

It let out an eerie, inhuman whine before prowling out of sight, leaving her as relieved as she was perplexed.


	10. Chapter 10

Six days. It had been six days since Edelgard had left the palace. 

Byleth had never known a longer week.

It got worse with each morning she opened her eyes. She felt as though a void was slowly swallowing her from the inside. The herbs that woman gave her did nothing for the edge creeping into her nerves.

Her mate was missing, and as pitiful as it was, she couldn't stop thinking about it.

The other palace denizens began to annoy her in little ways. It wasn't anything they did, per say. The servants were kind enough, if completely oblivious to her inner turmoil. Ferdinand was usually downstairs during the day, and he had made it clear that he was happy to assist her however he could. She did not meet any more of Ionius's consorts since that one time in the garden, and after that, she wasn't sure if she ever cared to again.

The trouble was, it wasn't them that she yearned for every minute of the day. The attention and words of comfort were coming from them, not _her._

An invisible string bound her to Edelgard, and it pulled at her relentlessly. Even the physicians couldn't do anything about it.

She thought back on their last visit while lying in bed that night. His apprentice came with him that time, a quiet woman who appeared to be around Byleth's age. She watched from the fireplace as the older man examined her latest and most embarrassing attempt at a nest.

_"Yes, you are entering a stage of preheat," he said. "As we spoke about the other day, it can happen occasionally when an outside influence disrupts your body's chemistry."_

_"So, what do I do about it?" Byleth snapped before she could stop herself. But the physician didn't appear to be offended or even take notice._

_"Well, back-to-back heat cycles such as this will take a heavy toll on your body," he replied, writing something down in his notebook. "Which is why I brought over some extra supplemental vitamins to keep you from becoming too anemic. I've received word that your heat suppressants should be coming in soon, too. But until then, I want you to take these twice a day and keep your body well-hydrated."_

_He placed a small bag on the side table._

_"I will take my leave now," he gave a brief nod and motioned to his apprentice. She watched them close the door, relieved to be left in peace, and frustrated that all they had done was confirm what she'd already guessed._

_A light tap followed a few seconds later._

_"Byleth?" It was Ferdinand. "Might we speak for a moment? We were interrupted earlier."_

_Oh. Yes, she remembered. He had wanted to tell her something about crests before the physician met them in the hallway._

_She opened the door and stepped out. "I'm listening."_

_"Perhaps you have already been informed. In any case, I think it bears repeating," Ferdinand told her. "Many nobles will be coming and going in the palace from now on, however this battle ends. Some of them will be alphas. And they will become quite interested in you after learning about the crest you carry."_

_She glared up at him impatiently. "Why? Plenty of nobles have a crest, too."_

_"But not all omegas do," a sharp edge entered Ferdinand's voice. "Especially one as rare as the Crest of Flames. Some of us would go to any lengths to have crest-bearing children, from having them surgically inserted to kidnapping omegas who show signs of having one, regardless of their social class or background. If any child of yours inherited your crest, it would greatly increase both their own status along with the status of the House they are born into."_

_Byleth frowned. She saw where he was going with this. There was just one problem._

_"I'm already bonded. It shouldn't matter to them anymore."_

_"True. But nobles from lesser Houses or without an inheritance still might not be deterred from trying their luck. Please do be careful and stay within earshot of the guards, or the rest of us. We are the Black Eagles, after all! We may have left our academy days behind, but that doesn't mean we mustn't still look after each other."_

_Ferdinand relaxed a bit. He placed a hand on his hip and forced himself to smile. Byleth sank into a brooding silence. What he just told her sounded familiar, but she couldn't recall where she had heard it._

Byleth had taken the vitamins with her tea that night. They did away with the lethargic feeling in her bones that was becoming borderline painful, but not the restless, hazy arousal steadily building up within her. Or that invisible pull to Edelgard which continued to grow stronger by the day.

The longing to see her was more powerful than anything she had known before. It gave her no peace.

She fell into a deep, troubled slumber.

* * *

The next morning, she awoke to commotion outside. It didn't take long to find out what it was.

The army had returned. A sea of silver flooded through the front gates of the palace. The disjointed cheers erupting from them answered the question of whether or not they'd won the battle. 

She watched them from the window, searching for any familiar faces below. She didn't see Rhea among them. Her former students were nowhere to be seen either, but maybe that was just because they were buried in the huge number of soldiers.

The absence of one in particular drove everything else out of her mind.

Where was she? Was she hurt? Why did Byleth feel as though she was simultaneously falling apart and being put back together?

The soldiers gradually began to splinter into smaller groups across the palace grounds. Something glued her there and forced her to watch, scanning each splintering group for a certain head of white hair. It didn't take long for her to lose track of time. 

"Byleth..."

She knew that voice as well as her own. 

Her attention drifted to a pair of pale violet eyes that she hadn't seen in nearly a week in the window's reflection.

The visual confirmation of her alpha returning to her safe and sound made her heart soar, a sharp contrast to the more mixed emotions swirling through her head. Her face was dirty, and part of her gown was torn. There was a scratch on her chin.

Without another second's thought, she threw herself at Edelgard, grasping her tightly. Edelgard let out a small gasp as Byleth buried her head into her shoulder, breathing in as much of the girl's scent as she could. She felt Edelgard's fingers dig into her back, almost to the point of being painful.

She didn't care. Edelgard's pheromones entered her system like a drug, washing away the rising stress better than any tonic or herbs that had been given to her. As she nuzzled closer, she felt as though a missing piece of her had returned.

"It felt much longer than a week," Edelgard whispered. 

"You won, then," Byleth mumbled into her shoulder. She could guess as much. She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear confirmation out loud. Curiosity forced her to ask anyway.

"Hah," Byleth let out a dry chuckle, dimly processing what she'd just heard. Her thoughts became muddled as Edelgard's voice carried her away, into a pleasant fog she was growing all too familiar with.

"I suppose there will be no goddess tower to meet at in five years, then..."

Edelgard answered by pushing her further against the wall, eliciting a surprised whimper from Byleth. Her half-lidded gaze drew closer, pulling Byleth over the edge with it.

"No. I specifically made certain that it was still in one piece," she muttered. "And I will hold you to your promise to meet me there when Fodlan has been freed from that insufferable woman's influence. Then, once Thales and the rest are dead, I will have a new academy built in it's place..."

Byleth froze as hot breath hit the side of her face. She felt soft lips press against her jaw, then move to her cheek.

"One where children of my new Empire can study safely without the church's interference...including ours, perhaps..."

Byleth barely registered what was happening before those lips met her mouth. 

Edelgard hesitated, pulling away for a brief moment. She gave Byleth a look of vague bewilderment, as though she wasn't quite sure how she'd found herself in this position. When Byleth made no sounds of protest - stunned into silence as a fresh wave of arousal settled in - she raised her hands to cup her face, closing in again. Byleth jolted in place when she felt the girl's tongue run across her mouth this time. The soft moan that escaped her lips gave her entrance.

She let out a yelp through the kiss when Edelgard's tongue moved across her own. Her movements were unsure and somewhat clumsy, giving Byleth the impression that this might be her first kiss. But the fact that it was her alpha made it difficult to think about too much. She found herself pulling her closer, while Edelgard's fingers began toying with the fastenings on the back of her dress.

Then Edelgard broke away. A thin trail of saliva still connected them.

"I...I grow so weak around you, Byleth..." she whispered. "Ever since you came to comfort me that night, when my nightmares were tormenting me so, I never wanted to share you with anyone else..."

Byleth was dimly aware that her mouth was still open. No sound came out. There probably should have been. But the hypnotic scent of her mate, the sensations of being pinned against the wall while she talked about impregnating her, prevented her from forming an intelligent response.

The silence stretched out. Edelgard continued to stare Byleth down with a look that could only be described as predatory. It felt so strange, their role reversal. So strange, and yet so right. It sent a shiver up her spine.

After a moment that seemed like hours, Edelgard slowly, slowly pulled away. With a shaky breath, she pulled off one of her red gloves. Then she brought the exposed wrist up to her mouth.

Byleth gasped as her teeth sunk in.

Edelgard let out a pained moan laced with lust. A thin line of blood began trickling down her own wrist, dripping onto the other hand that was holding it steady. Nothing should have been appealing about what she was witnessing, watching her alpha place a bond mark on something that wasn't herself. And yet it held her spellbound.

Her heavy breathing gradually grew calm again.

She released her own arm, letting it fall back to her side. An angry red mark shown on her wrist that mirrored the one on Byleth's neck. Her gaze was still full of hot desire, but her voice had regained some of it's former composure.

"I promised that I would protect you from monsters like Metodey," she managed to get out. "E-even from the one lurking within myself, if need be."

She picked her glove off the floor, staring down at it for a few seconds before slipping it back on. 

"We must maintain our distance until your heat has passed."

She avoided meeting Byleth's eyes as she closed the door behind her.

Byleth raised a shaky hand to her forehead. It was as damp with sweat as the rest of her body. Then she leaned against the wall with a quiet groan and the lingering memory of Edelgard kissing her.

* * *

Byleth didn't see Edelgard at dinner that night. Or at breakfast the next day. She didn't see her in the hallways, with the captains, or even with Hubert. She had spent the morning completely alone.

The palace was bustling with activity. The servants were so busy making preparations for the upcoming ball that they didn't even glance her way anymore when they passed. She heard Hubert and Ferdinand speaking in hushed whispers behind the office door on Byleth's way back to her room. She caught Edelgard's name in their conversation, which only sent her deeper into her downward spiral.

Her body now ached for Edelgard, and only Edelgard, constantly. And now that she was back, the intense, foggy restlessness settling in amplified it ten times more. She tried everything to make herself stop thinking about the events of the previous night, from reading to taking walks to subconsciously adding more colorful blankets to her nest. Nothing could burn it out of her mind.

Her compulsion to keep doing this annoyed the maids even more than it did herself. Especially the new one that had just been brought in.

 _"Again,"_ she crossed her arms. "I suppose we should clean up this mess before we go."

Byleth felt the sudden urge to chase them out then and there. She bit back the knee-jerk response hovering on the tip of her tongue.

"Oh, no no no," the older servant training her cleared her throat. "Let's just leave that the way it is. Why don't we go outside and talk for a bit?"

Byleth watched the door close behind them with a click, and she let go the breath she was holding back.

She couldn't really stay angry. This must have looked as alien to the new maid as it had to Byleth the first time.

She drew the curtains and curled up on the tangled mess of sheets, pulling some of them over her. She hoped that she could at least escape it all in her dreams.

But if anything, lying there just made her arousal grow in intensity. It dragged her back to the night from the week before, where Edelgard was worrying at her bond mark, her hard bulge pressing wonderfully against her.

Her hands wandered down of their own accord. Before she realized what she was doing, she had hiked her dress up to her waist. Her undergarments were already damp with slick.

She didn't mean to go this far. Especially not after last night. But her fingers ignored her inner protests. Almost of their own accord, she felt them moving the material aside and ghosting over the sensitive folds underneath before resting on her clit. It was already swollen and overheated.

Her fingers slid inside with ease. She clamped her eyes tightly shut.

She imagined a faceless alpha holding her down. They would pull her legs up and wrap them around their waist, leaving her dripping sex fully exposed to the hungry gaze boring into her. Their knot would already be inflated when they shoved themselves into her, eliciting a cry from the omega writhing underneath them. They would thrust into her again and again, roughly fucking her until the full throes of heat finally came, filling her full of cum, making her heavy with child.

She shuddered.

Sometimes Edelgard would replace the vaguely imagined alpha. Sometimes those piercing purple eyes of hers would be hovering inches from her own. Then she would hastily push those images away. Only sometimes, she couldn't.

It was fine, though. She was just taking the edge off. This was normal.

A knock on the door jolted her back to reality. Back to her room, with her hands between her thighs and covered in slick. She flinched underneath the covers.

"Byleth. My apologies for disturbing you," said Hubert from the other side. "But another physician's appointment has been arranged for you for this afternoon."

She closed her eyes in annoyance.

Taking a few breaths to calm herself, she slowly got up, cleaned herself up as quickly as she could, and opened the door.

Hubert looked more tired than usual. Like Edelgard, the battle hadn't left him unscathed either, going by the half-healed red mark stretching across the side of his head.

"I had an appointment a few days ago," Byleth told him.

"This one is more important," he shot back. "Your prescription is in. The other physician is temporarily out, so you will be seen by his replacement today. We shall be riding a carriage into town. Between the carriage and guards, it should be safe enough even in your current state."

That got Byleth's attention. Not only was she relieved to finally be getting her suppressants, her ticket back to some semblance of normalcy, but it had been some time since she'd last visited the main square of Enbarr.

"A-alright."

"Quickly, then. I have many errands to run after this. Worst of all, my father is coming to pay his respects to Lady Edelgard today...as well as dispute our ownership of some neighboring land again, I shouldn't wonder."

He grimaced. Byleth glanced at him curiously. She'd never heard him mention his family before. But he didn't elaborate further, and Byleth wasn't in the mood to pry.

They descended the palace halls and stairways. Byleth had grown used to the route down, no longer needing to stop and check for landmarks at every other turn. Soon enough, they had descended the staircase into the great hall. She hoped and prayed that Hubert wouldn't notice her dishevelment and connect the dots. Or anyone else.

"Hey! We've been waiting for you!"

An armored hand clapped Byleth on the shoulder. 

She swung around to face Caspar, who grinned brightly at them. Her first instinct was to back away before he could catch the no doubt lingering scent of her arousal. Fortunately, going by his lack of reaction, it seemed that he still hadn't presented yet.

"Caspar. I'm glad you're safe," she replied. In spite of the situation, his usual enthusiastic cheer was as contagious as ever, and she found herself relaxing a bit.

Behind him in the drawing room stood Lindhardt, Bernadetta, and to her greater surprise, the Black Eagles' youngest member.

"Petra?" her voice rose.

Dark violet eyes darted up to meet her green ones.

"Professor," she replied, pausing to study Byleth. "So it is true, then. I feared for you when you disappeared. I was filled with even more fear when I found out why you fell down like that. But you are safe after all, and you are queen consort too. This brings me happiness."

Byleth hesitated. It was more complicated than that, which Petra obviously didn't understand yet. It made Byleth feel wistful for the days when she didn't, either.

"I didn't think I'd see you again," she replied at length. "I was certain you had returned to Brigid."

Petra shook her head. "Err, no. I will not be returning yet. I will be staying to help my friends first. Then, yes, I will have to be going home to my grandfather."

"Good afternoon, Professor," Lindhardt spoke up. "We're holding our own celebration of our victory today. Why not join us?"

"Yeah, you're both late!" Caspar crossed his arms. "I was just telling Bernie how many Faerghus soldiers I took out!"

"He's exaggerating," Lindhardt rolled his eyes. "It was more like five."

"Uh, no. You just weren't paying attention."

Bernadetta looked pleadingly at Byleth. "I'm g-glad you're here. They've been like this ever since we sat down..."

"It will have to wait," said Hubert. "Byleth has an appointment with the physician today, and we should both like to get it over with."

"Ah! Are you sick?" Petra's brows creased with worry.

"No, not really. Just a...routine check-up," replied Byleth evasively.

She relaxed. "That relieves me."

"When we get back, Lindhardt, I have some concerns that I would like to speak to you about," Hubert told him. "I assume that we all saw the same thing that night."

Lindhardt nodded. "If I'm not still here by the time you get back, I shall be in the barracks with Caspar."

Hubert turned heel and began crossing the great hall, with Byleth a few paces behind. Several soldiers were waiting on them near the front doors, which the guards promptly opened for them.

"Thank you for waiting for us," Hubert said curtly. They surrounded them as they stepped outside and set off towards the carriage waiting for them past the gates.

* * *

"Well, dearie. They took their time getting here, but we finally have heat suppressants in stock."

The physician, an elderly woman this time, placed them on the table beside the chair she had examined Byleth in. After a moment's hesitation, she took the small leather bag and glanced down at it's contents. They smelled different than the suppressants she was used to. She wondered if they would taste as bitter.

She closed it and shoved them in her pocket.

"Thank you," she murmured.

The physician smiled apologetically. "Enbarr's local farms had such a poor harvest this year that they had to be imported from Airmid Farms. As you've probably noticed at dinner lately."

Byleth hadn't. She wasn't a picky eater, and she didn't pay much attention to what was on her plate most of the time. But now that the physician had brought it up, she had a point.

Her face grew serious. "I've read your report. Take your usual dosage once every three months, just before the nesting phase begins. Do you understand? Otherwise, you will disrupt your body's chemistry again."

She narrowed a glare at her. "But I need them now."

The physician gave her a stern look.

"I understand how you're feeling. Really, I do. I've treated many omegas throughout my career, including Her Majesty's mother all those years ago. But I still insist on taking extra precautions. Your body is in a fragile state. So, what I would like for you to do is to ride out this heat while continuing to take the vitamins my co-worker gave you. Now that the low quality herbs have left your system, your cycle should begin to balance itself out."

She turned away from Byleth. She watched the elderly woman dig through the nearby cabinets before pulling out a small box. She handed it to her.

"This will prevent you from getting pregnant during a heat cycle. Until you and Her Majesty decide that you want children, it would be wise to take these a couple of days before entering your heat. If you wait until the last minute, you might not be able to remember in time."

Byleth's face heated up. She averted her gaze, silently willing her to stop talking while the omega side of her hung onto every word. The fantasy she had been touching herself to not long ago forced it's way back into her head.

The physician's advice was probably very sound. Her self-control was slipping fast, even now. It was a safe bet that she would have none whatsoever when she fully entered her heat.

She would have to lock herself in her room until it was over. She didn't trust herself to not drag Edelgard into something that both of them might regret later.

She stood up, pocketing the box. "Am I done?"

The physician chuckled. "Yes, we should be done for the next several months. You are free to go."

The physician motioned for the assistant standing nearby. They went over to the table and started to talk about next week's shipments, paying no further attention to Byleth as she pushed the door open.

Hubert leaned against the wall in the waiting room, looking out the window of the busy street. She cleared her throat to get his attention. He turned his head to her, then glanced back at the window.

"Ready to leave, then? Look. 'The First Hero' will be playing at the theater soon."

Byleth followed his gaze. Sure enough, posters for the play had just been plastered all over the walls of the other buildings. It came from a myth about Sothis sending a knight on a series of dangerous quests during the early days of Fodlan. She remembered watching a reenactment of it when she was younger.

"I never cared for plays, but Her Majesty used to enjoy this one. I will let her know," Hubert muttered to himself.

He opened the door for her. She stepped out into the open streets, filled with a variety of sights and scents. The crowds were especially thick today. The royal carriage they had come in sat waiting in the city square, surrounded by soldiers.

"Ah, that used to be one of my favorites."

General Ladislava emerged from the crowds, trailed by a soldier Byleth didn't know. She stopped in front of the physician's building to admire the poster.

"What are you doing here, General?" Hubert glared at her with suspicion. "You are supposed to be training the new recruits."

"That's why I'm here, of course," she replied. "We're running low on vulneries. What about yourselves? Is something wrong?"

The general's eyes rested on Byleth. Byleth dug her hands into her overcoat pockets, feeling a sense of unease over the strange alpha's attention zooming in on her. "No. Not at all."

"We've thinned Faerghus's numbers for you, queen consort," Ladislava said with a proud smile. "This was a great victory for the Empire."

Byleth looked up at her, maintaining a neutral expression. The mixed feelings she still had for this war were probably best kept to herself for now.

"Yes," she replied. "I heard as much."

The general bowed. "My knights and I will continue to serve and protect the Emperor and her family."

"Our last battle did not inspire much confidence in me," Hubert muttered under his breath.

Byleth shifted. She felt equal parts tired and restless, and the other alpha was only making it worse. The carriage was starting to look very welcoming.

She shifted. She was as tired as she was restless, and the other alpha was only making everything worse. The carriage was starting to look very welcoming.

Something fell out of her pocket as she pulled her hand out.

She glanced down. It was her prescription.

She reached down to pick it up, but Ladislava beat her to it.

"Thank you," Byleth murmured, taking it from her.

"Nonsense. I'm at your service," the wyvern knight replied. Her armored hand lingered on Byleth's. Something like reluctance entered her eyes that puzzled her. But only for a moment.

They watched the two soldiers go on her way. Awkward discomfort settled in.

* * *

The palace doors closed behind them. 

Hubert bowed. "If you will excuse me, I must prepare for my father's arrival."

Byleth watched him close himself into the drawing room, where Lindhardt and Bernadetta were still lounging on the sofa. 

She was alone again. Part of her was curious about what her former students were up to in there. More than that, though, she was ready to let a good night's sleep put this confusing day behind her. She headed to her room, taking the west staircase to the second floor. She preferred the view of Enbarr through the windows on that side.

Somewhere below, a door opened. She stopped in her tracks. 

Edelgard entered the great hall. She wasn't alone - a girl trailed close behind. Her blue dress was the same imperial style as Byleth's, and she had the same collar that marked her an omega. Neither of them took notice of Byleth eavesdropping overhead.

"I've already given you my answer," said Edelgard. "Now, if you will excuse me. Baron Bartels is still in the gardens. He must be quite worried by now."

The girl giggled softly. "Not at all. Father never cared that much about me. You're different, though."

Edelgard froze as the girl draped herself over her, sliding her arms over her shoulders. Her shock turned into flustered realization when the girl laughed again. She grabbed hold of her wrists just as they started wandering down.

"Y-you make too many presumptions," she snapped.

Byleth backed away from the rails before they could see her - assuming they hadn't scented her already. She no longer cared. Their conversation held her in place, transfixed.

The other girl's amusement faded. She smiled gently. "I don't understand. You're the Emperor, right? You were given an extra crest, too. Don't you need to hurry up and have children before you die?"

Edelgard's gaze turned to ice. "That's none of your concern."

She pushed her away. The omega heaved out a sigh of frustration, but her smile quickly returned.

"You just need time to consider it, Your Majesty," she said. "I'll be waiting."

Edelgard frowned indignantly at her as she crossed the room towards the gardens, where Mercedes' stepfather was apparently waiting. She stared after her for several long moments.

Byleth knew she should move, but couldn't. Her heart beat wildly in her chest.

Ferdinand stepped into the great hall. He smirked. "That makes two now."

Edelgard pulled her gaze away from the drawing room doors, fixing Ferdinand with a glare. "Their timing is in rather poor taste."

"It's to be expected. You are the new Emperor, after all. This will be far from the last proposal you'll be fending off."

_...What?_

Byleth's eyes bored into Ferdinand, waiting for him to say more. But their voices had turned into a dull background hum in her ears.

This information didn't surprise her in the least. It was common for alpha and omega nobles to be entered into arranged engagements. This would be especially true for the Crown Princess of Adrestia. If anything, it was more surprising to hear that there were only two.

Why should this bother her? Edelgard was her student not too long ago, no more and no less. Their mating bond was an accidental one. They were together because their instincts forced them to be.

Edelgard was now bidding Ferdinand goodbye. He made a low, sweeping bow and said something just out of Byleth's earshot.

Edelgard's lips curved upwards in that polite smile that she always wore to hide her emotions.

The Millennium Festival came rushing back to Byleth. That night when she had found herself glancing across the ballroom from time to time, her eyes repeatedly drawn to Edelgard. Each time their eyes met, Edelgard would quickly turn away, giving that boy the exact same smile Byleth just saw here. 

Her hands began to tremble.

She raised them to her face, covering her mouth and nose. Hints of Ladislava's scent lingered. She took a deep breath. It did nothing for her. She was an omega in preheat, and it did absolutely nothing to distract her from the girl standing below the staircase, seemingly oblivious to her presence as she drifted out of sight.

Nothing would. From the day they met, Edelgard had commanded her attention in a way that no other alpha had. From their early days at the academy to that time when she learned that she was the Flame Emperor, no one else had ever managed to elicit such intense feelings from her, be it positive or negative. 

She didn't understand it at first. She didn't understand why her chest felt so tight during the dance, what really made her leave the ball early, what was really keeping her here at the palace.

The very idea of yet another omega entering the picture made it impossible to run away from anymore.

These feelings went much farther back than the Holy Tomb.


End file.
